SEOUL: South Korean small-business owners have decided to boycott the Japanese consumer goods. They have rallied in South Korea’s capital to protest Tokyo’s move to tighten high-tech exports to its neighbor.

Kim Sung-min, president of the Korea Mart Association, urged shop owners to boycott the distribution of Japanese products until Tokyo apologizes over the trade curbs and withdraws them.

South Korea is concerned that the strengthened Japanese export controls of photoresists and other sensitive materials that are mainly used for manufacturing semiconductors and display screens could potentially hurt its export-dependent economy.

Japan’s measure has stoked public anger in South Korea, where many believe Japan still hasn’t fully acknowledged responsibility for atrocities committed during its colonial occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

(Agencies)