SKorean parties back Moon in trade row with Japan

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — Setting aside their usual bickering, South Korean liberal and conservative parties have vowed to co-operate to help the Seoul government prevail in an escalating trade row with Japan.

After a meeting between the parties’ leaders and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, they announced plans to create a “pan-national” emergency body to respond to tighter Japanese trade controls on certain technology exports to South Korea.

They denounced the Japanese measures as an “unjust economic retaliation” that would seriously harm bilateral relations and co-operation.

The leaders of conservative parties also called for Moon to take more aggressive diplomatic steps, such as pushing for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe or sending a special envoy to Japan.

South Korea says the Japanese measures could hurt its export-dependent economy.

The Associated Press