The South Korean Defense Ministry said Monday that it was reviewing whether to maintain a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan amid an escalating trade row. 

"Regarding the renewal of General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), the government is reviewing whether it is right to continue exchanging sensitive military intelligence with a country that takes issue with the lack of trust and the security-related problems," defense ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a press briefing. 

Asked about the rising speculation regarding the rescinding of the bilateral intelligence-sharing pact, the spokesperson said nothing has been decided yet. 

It was the reiteration of Friday's announcement by the presidential Blue House after Japan's removal of South Korea from its white list of trusted trading partners that are given preferential procedure for export. 

On July 4, Japan tightened regulations on exports to South Korea of three materials crucial for the production of memory chips and display panels, which are the mainstay of South Korean exports. 

The GSOMIA was signed in November 2016 by the two nations despite strong opposition from the South Korean public. 

Many South Koreans saw the deal as unacceptable because the Japanese leadership had yet to sincerely apologize for its militaristic history. The Korean Peninsula was colonized by Imperial Japan between 1910 and 1945. 

The GSOMIA had been automatically renewed each year in August. Any party wishing to to scrap the pact is required to notify the other of its intention 90 days in advance. This year's notification deadline falls on August 24.