23-Jan-2006
Yonhap
US Trade Representative Rob Portman said South Korean farmers’ protests are not expected to affect efforts to start negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA).
22-Jan-2006
The new Australian Ambassador’s third posting in Korea might be the charm that helps bring Australia-Korea trade relations to its zenith.
22-Jan-2006
Work on talks for a free trade pact between Korea and the United States has been accelerating since President Roh Moo-hyun’s New Year’s address. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade recently announced it would hold a public hearing early next month to gather opinions on such a pact. Accordingly, the government is likely to soon declare the start of negotiations with Washington.
22-Jan-2006
The government is hurrying to conclude a free trade agreement with the United States before June 2007 at the latest. It appears natural for Korea to facilitate the FTA process with America, the world’s largest economy and Seoul’s greatest ally. The biggest stumbling block is the screen quota, a protective device for the domestic film industry, or so says Washington.
21-Jan-2006
donga.com
Trade Minister Kim Hyun-jong said in a news conference Friday, “It remains to be seen whether the upcoming international economic ministers’ meeting scheduled for February 2 will decide to begin Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.” Current Korean FTA regulations stipulate that an international economic ministers’ meeting shall make decisions on whether to start FTA negotiations after taking public opinion into consideration at a public hearing.
20-Jan-2006
The government Friday launched a campaign to reduce the screen quota in exchange for starting bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the United States.
19-Jan-2006
UPI
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Wednesday he would push for a free-trade agreement with the United States as early as possible.
11-Jan-2006
The Korea International Trade Association on Wednesday launched a web portal on the country’s free trade agreements.
9-Jan-2006
The Bush administration is considering free-trade negotiations with Egypt, South Korea, Malaysia, and Switzerland, the US Trade Representative’s top agriculture trade negotiator said Monday.
9-Jan-2006
Korea made significant achievements in the area of free trade agreements in 2005, demonstrating the government’s stellar management of trade policies, experts say.
9-Jan-2006
Korea Times
The atmosphere is ripe for starting talks with the United States for a tariff-free trade scheme, which, if realized, may change this country’s overall industrial picture as never before. But an FTA with giant, advanced economies, like America’s, requires a very careful approach.
9-Jan-2006
As Washington pushes Seoul to begin talks for forging a free trade agreement, the Korean government says both countries have not yet agreed on when or even whether negotiations will begin.
8-Jan-2006
The Chilean Embassy in Seoul said that Chile will award the “Decoration of Bernardo O’Higgins” to five Koreans who contributed to the successful free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and Chile.
8-Jan-2006
"When I started four years ago I had a full head of hair and no grey hair," New Zealand Ambassador David Taylor jokingly told the Korea Herald before leaving the harsh Korean winter for the green pastures of a Kiwi summer.
6-Jan-2006
Korea and the U.S. could start negotiations for a free trade agreement in April, an insider said Friday. The government is reportedly thinking of announcing the expected benefits of an FTA in President Roh Moo-hyun’s New Year’s meeting with the press around Jan. 17. The FTA could be concluded around next March after a year or so of negotiations, the source added.
6-Jan-2006
Asia Pulse
South Korea and India adopted a final framework Friday to begin talks on a free trade agreement, Seoul officials said.
22-Dec-2005
AFP
Thailand said it had refused to sign a trade agreement between South Korea and ASEAN, insisting that rice be included on the list of goods facing tariff cuts.
20-Dec-2005
South Korea’s trade minister and his counterparts from the European Free Trade Association, or EFTA, signed a free trade agreement yesterday at the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Hong Kong.
18-Dec-2005
GCC Secretary General HE Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Attiyah has said that negotiations are now under way between GCC and China for earlier conclusion of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and that a legal framework is now being made in preparation for the FTA agreement with Korea.
16-Dec-2005
AP
Le ministre de l’économie fédéral Joseph Deiss et ses homologues de l’AELE ont signé jeudi à Hong Kong un accord de libre-échange avec la République de Corée. L’accord entrera en vigueur le 1er juillet prochain
