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Korea

Made in North Korea - or is it?
1-Mar-2006 Christian Science Monitor
The issue of how much the North Korean workers are paid is, as one manager puts it, "a delicate question" as South Korea negotiates with the United States for a free trade agreement.
Singapore, South Korea FTA takes effect Thursday
1-Mar-2006 Channel News Asia
Three-quarters of Singapore’s domestic exports to South Korea will enjoy tariff elimination from Thursday.
New Zealand to explore S. Korea trade deal
28-Feb-2006 AP
New Zealand is planning to explore the possibility of forging a free trade agreement with South Korea, Minister of State Jim Sutton said Tuesday.
S Korea’s Roh says FTA with US top priority
27-Feb-2006 AFX
President Roh Moo-Hyun said that reaching a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States will be the top priority for his government during his remaining tenure.
S. Korea to exclude rice, beef pacts from FTA talks with US
23-Feb-2006 Yonhap
South Korea’s agriculture minister said Thursday that the country will not include deals on the liberalization of rice and beef imports in the agenda of upcoming free trade talks with the United States.
S Korean farmers, movie makers rally over US trade talks
19-Feb-2006 AFP
Some 2,000 South Korean farmers, movie-makers and anti-US activists staged a candlelight protest Friday against free trade negotiations with the United States.
Exclusion of rice from trade deal ‘possible’
18-Feb-2006
With the government’s recent efforts to sign a free trade agreement with the United States drawing intense opposition from farmers here, a top Korean government official said the trade negotiators would try to exempt rice from the economic pact.
S. Korea-US FTA should not be disrupted by interest groups: Roh
16-Feb-2006
President Roh Moo-hyun said Thursday the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) should not be blocked by some interest groups’ resistance.
S. Korea to reflect farmers’ concerns in US free trade talks
16-Feb-2006 Yonhap
"Farmers and ranchers will be invited to take part in negotiations from the outset," a Korean agricultural ministry official said.
S. Korean rice industry to be hit hard by FTA with US: Report
15-Feb-2006 Asia Pulse
South Korea’s rice industry could suffer a significant drop in earnings and production if the country signs a free trade pact with the United States, even if rice is excluded from the deal, a report said Wednesday.
Korea wants rice out of FTA
13-Feb-2006 Korea Times
Improving the quality of locally grown agricultural products will be a key government goal this year as more imports are expected to be sold on the South Korean market, the country’s agriculture minister said Monday.
Australia joins queue for trade deal
11-Feb-2006
Canberra hopes to reach a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Seoul, Peter Rowe, Australia’s new ambassador to South Korea, said on Thursday. He also underlined that the bilateral trade deal would not hurt South Korea’s agriculture industry.
Businessmen want free trade agreement
11-Feb-2006
Korean business leaders issued a joint statement in support of a Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) yesterday.
Trade minister selling FTA to US and Koreans
11-Feb-2006
Only a few years ago, the idea of signing free-trade deals was new to Koreans. But after signing such agreements with Chile and Singapore, and after the opening of free-trade talks with the United States was announced, free trade is now at the forefront of the national discourse.
Finance Minister Warns Against FX Speculation: Korea Seeks to Resume FTA Talks With Japan
9-Feb-2006
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Han Duck-soo Wednesday said that the Korean won’s current strength against the dollar will not last long.
FTA Talks With Japan: Positive But Prudent Approach Needed
9-Feb-2006
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that the government would seek to resume free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Japan soon. Han said that recent developments have created a favorable climate for Korea to resume the FTA talks with Japan.
Korea to Have Strong Say at FTA Talks With US: MOFE
9-Feb-2006
Vice Finance and Economy Minister Kwon Tae-shin Thursday said Korea shouldn’t be shy at the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiation table with the United States.
US rejects free trade in Kaesong products
9-Feb-2006 JoongAng Daily
A US official said yesterday that Washington would not consider goods manufactured at an industrial park in the North Korean border city of Kaesong as South Korean products in its free-trade negotiations with Seoul.
S. Korea halts film making to protest US trade deal
9-Feb-2006 Washington Post
South Korea’s movie industry ground to a halt on Wednesday, as dozens of stars and hundreds of film workers protested against a government move to cut protection for the industry to smooth free trade talks with the United States.
US wants more concessions on beef imports: Official
9-Feb-2006 Chosunilbo
The US will push Korea for further negotiations on resuming imports of US beef with parts attached to the bone included, an official with the US Embassy in Korea said Wednesday. This January, the Korean government partly lifted the ban to ease the way for free-trade talks.