Key developments leading to S. Korea's decision to end information-sharing pact with Japan

2018

Oct. 30 -- South Korea's Supreme Court orders a Japanese company, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., to compensate South Korean victims for forced labor and unpaid work during World War II.

Nov. 29 -- South Korea's top court orders a Japanese company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., to compensate South Korean wartime forced labor victims.

2019

Jan. 9 -- Japan requests that Seoul and Tokyo begin government talks over the wartime forced labor issue.

May 20 -- Japan requests formation of an arbitration panel involving a third-country to address the wartime forced labor issue.

June 19 -- South Korea proposes to Japan that companies from both countries create a joint fund to compensate the wartime forced labor victims. Japan turns down the offer.

July 1 -- Japan announces plan to strengthen regulations on exports to South Korea of three materials used in semiconductor and smartphone production, says it will exclude South Korea from a list of nations that have preferential status on trade.

July 4 -- The trade restriction on South Korea-bound shipments of the three materials essential in the production of semiconductors and display panels takes effect.

July 8 -- President Moon Jae-in urges Japan to withdraw the export control, warns the government will be left with no choice but to take "necessary" measures in case of "actual damage" to South Korean firms.

July 12 -- South Korea and Japan hold a working-level meeting in Tokyo over the export curbs. Japan reaffirms it has no intention of lifting the restrictions.

July 24 -- South Korea proposes holding high-level talks over the issue during a World Trade Organization meeting. Japan turns down the offer.

Aug. 2 -- Japan's Cabinet approves a proposal to remove South Korea from the whitelist granting simplified procedures for the purchase of sensitive goods that can be diverted for military use. South Korea says it will also take Japan off its own list of trusted trading partners.

Aug. 7 -- Japan promulgates bill taking South Korea off export whitelist

Aug. 15 -- President Moon Jae-in says South Korea will join hands with Japan if it chooses dialogue

Aug. 21 -- The foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan hold talks in Beijing

Aug. 22 -- South Korea decides to end military information-sharing pact with Japan

(Yonhap)