(Reuters) - South Korean supermarket chain E-mart Inc <139480.KS> will close its stores in China due to mounting losses and souring relations between the two countries over the deployment of an anti-missile system, the Nikkei said, quoting the vice-chairman of the E-mart's parent.
Chung Yong-jin, vice chairman of E-mart parent Shinsegae Group, said the retailer will close its six supermarkets in China once the leases expire, the Nikkei reported. (http://s.nikkei.com/2rqnJ1z)
E-mart will be the first South Korean company to exit China since February, when a dispute flared over Seoul's deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defence system, the business daily said.
E-mart entered the Chinese market in 1997, expanding to 26 stores before shutting some of them due to growing pressure from local supermarket chains.
(Reporting By Shashwat Pradhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
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