- Negotiations
The government of South Korea has concluded, or is pursuing negotiations for, a number of bilateral free trade and investment agreements. Korean social movements have been mobilizing in opposition to these ever since the Korea-Chile FTA was proposed. So far, South Korea has signed deals with Chile (2004), EFTA (2004), Singapore (2005), ASEAN (2007) the US (2007, ratified in 2011), Peru (2011) and Turkey (2012). Talks are under way with Canada, China, Mexico, India, the EU and, technically speaking, Japan. Negotiations with Colombia have stalled over Colombia’s demands for access for better terms for its fruit and flower exports than what Korea gives Chile and Peru. Seoul is also looking to open discussions with Mercosur, Malaysia, Mexico and possibly Israel.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0
11-Apr-2005
Korea Times
The Roh administration has not had an easy time handling the foreign policy file. But for all its faults and foibles, there is one very important portion of that file in which the president has provided some strong leadership: free trade.
2-Apr-2005
The government’s plan to conclude 15 free trade agreements by 2007 is the right move - if somewhat overambitious.
31-Mar-2005
The first free trade agreement with Chile has brought an array of benefits to Korea in the past year, not least contributing to the speeding up of the nation’s FTA talks with other trade partners.
31-Mar-2005
UPI
Upbeat about surging exports following its first free trade accord with Chile a year ago, South Korea unveiled an ambitious plan on Wednesday to push for free trade agreements with more than 15 countries by 2007.
28-Mar-2005
Korea Times
The government will continue working toward free trade agreements (FTA) with major trading partners as part of South Korea’s aim to emerge as one of the most open economies in the world.
21-Mar-2005
China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have initiated the non-government joint study on the feasibility of free trade agreement (FTA), announced Wang Mengkui, director of the Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC) here Monday.
17-Mar-2005
Yonhap
South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said 12,644 local peach, kiwi and grape farms across the country have decided to halt operations since the FTA’s ratification, indicating that the opening of the domestic market is taking a toll on the growers.
23-Feb-2005
Kyodo
The bilateral negotiations have made little progress as South Korea has criticized Japanese-planned liberalization of farm product imports as being far from sufficient.
1-Feb-2005
Asahi
Products made by South Korean companies in an industrial park north of the demilitarized zone are likely to form the latest kink in sputtering free trade talks between Tokyo and Seoul.
1-Feb-2005
Asia Times
South Korea may conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with India as early as 2007, a ranking South Korean official said.
Links
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KoPA is a coalition of around 50 NGOs, social movement organizations, political parties, peasant organizations and trade unions working, among other things, to stop bilateral and regional free trade agreements and the WTO.
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