Due to China's clear retaliation over the partnership between the U.S. and South Korea's THAAD missile system installation, South Korea was forced to raise the concern over the WTO committee. During the Geneva committee meeting held last April 28 to 30, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has raised the concern in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) committee of the WTO.
South Korea specifically states that there are serious trade concerns that are happening due to the Chinese ban on everything that is related to Korean or even K-pop culture. During last year's October, China had put up a limit on the number of milk brands that are operating in the country, along with other industrial limits on other companies' function within the country.
This dealt a serious blow to the economic status of South Korea as the country is restricted from entering a large portion of the global market. The interesting thing about the Chinese limit on various industrial processes, as well as the ban on K-pop music, TV programs and movie, was very likely to be due to the THAAD partnership between the U.S. and South Korea.
The THAAD is a missile defense system that is made to deter any missile attacks from North Korea. According to KBS, China has strictly reinforced its measures against everything South Korean, such as industrial and business processes, K-pop culture, as well as its tourism.
South Korea says that China violates two important principles in its measures against their country. These principles are all about the most favored nation and its national treatment.
The main issue that South Korea is trying to imply against China is that the latter doesn't give them the equal and same treatment as what WTO members are obliged to do and to have.
