JAPAN ALERTS GATT TO SOUTH KOREA IMPORT PLAN

  Japan told the General Agreement on
  Tariffs and Trade that South Korea's five-year import
  diversification plan violated the spirit of the world trade
  governing body, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
      The notification came in Japan's answer to a recent GATT
  questionnaire on unfair trade practices, the spokesman said.
      In the five-year plan, which starts this year, South Korea
  aims to reduce its dependency on Japan as a source of imported
  goods and to increase imports from the U.S. And Europe.
      Japan's move came after several unsuccessful bilateral
  negotiations on the plan, the spokesman said. "The notification
  does not represent anything resembling a formal complaint, nor
  is it intended to pressure South Korea. It is a routine
  procedure followed by all other GATT member states."
  

