Seoul, Aug. 12 -- South Korea has urged the United States to grant leniency to its companies in an ongoing probe into imported polysilicon, warning that broad restrictions could hurt both nations' clean energy and semiconductor industries, The Korean Herald reported.

According to a filing published by the US Bureau of Industry and Security, Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy asked Washington to apply "flexible consideration" for Korean firms as the US reviews whether low-priced polysilicon imports threaten its domestic industry under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The investigation, launched on July 1, is examining the potential national security risks of foreign-made polysilicon, a crucial material for so...