SEOUL, July 17 (Xinhua) -- A senior U.S diplomat met with South Korean officials here on Wednesday over the Seoul-Tokyo trade row, triggered by Japan's curbs on its export to South Korea of materials vital to the latter's tech industry.
David Stilwell, new U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs who took office last month, held a series of meetings in Seoul with senior South Korean officials. The U.S. diplomat arrived here on Tuesday for a three-day trip.
Stilwell met first with Kim Hyun-chong, deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), prior to a meeting with Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs.
After the meetings in the morning, the U.S. diplomat met with Yoon Soon-gu, South Korea's deputy foreign minister, before paying a courtesy call to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
The U.S. diplomat's visit came after the trade spat between Seoul and Tokyo was sparked earlier this month by Japan's tighter regulations on its export to South Korea of materials key to produce memory chips and display panels that affect the manufacturing of smartphone, TV and other tech products.
Regarding the talks between Stilwell and Yoon, the Seoul foreign ministry said in a statement that the two diplomats exchanged opinions on issues of mutual concern including the relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
