bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

Korea

South Korea signs free trade pact with ASEAN, excludes Thailand
13-Dec-2005 Jakarta Post
South Korea and Southeast Asian nations on Tuesday inked a tariff-slashing Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with Thailand choosing to be excluded from the pact which does not include rice in its list of items.
ASEAN+3 leaders urge efforts for regional free trade bloc
13-Dec-2005 Asia Pulse
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries, Japan and China held a one-day "ASEAN Plus Three Summit" in the Malaysian capital on Monday and adopted a joint statement calling for redoubled efforts for the formation of the so-called East Asia free trade agreement.
Australian ambassador’s big regret: no FTA
12-Dec-2005
Australian Ambassador Colin Heseltine left Seoul two days ago for home at the end of his assignment with one major bit of unfinished business - he was not able to push the excellent bilateral relations between both countries to an even higher level with a free trade agreement.
FTA with Asean provides level playing field for South Korea
12-Dec-2005
With the preliminary Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Asean, South Korea is expected to compete with China and Japan on a level playing field, a South Korean minister said Monday.
Rough ride for some Asean FTA talks
10-Dec-2005
Asean Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong admitted Saturday that some of Asean’s free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations were difficult, and cited talks with India, Japan and South Korea as examples.
Comment: "Smug calculations" lack sincerity, analysis
10-Dec-2005 People’s Daily
Japan is craving a "return to Asia", and the kernel of its regional strategy is to "Japanize" regional policies, legal system, industrial division and financial and monetary fields. It mainly targets some ASEAN countries, at the same time avoiding Free Trade Agreement (FTA) but bending on Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
Rice row threatens ASEAN-South Korea free-trade deal
9-Dec-2005 AFP
A row over Asia’s staple food, rice, is threatening to scuttle a proposed free-trade deal between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea, which wants to protect the key sector from tariff cuts.
ASEAN to ink FTAs with India, S Korea
8-Dec-2005
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to sign free trade agreements next week with India and South Korea, Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz has said.
Thailand will not sign ASEAN-S. Korea FTA: spokesman
7-Dec-2005 People’s Daily
Thailand will not sign a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Association of South East Asian Nations and South Korea because it does not include rice, government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said on Tuesday.
FTA with ASEAN benefits Kaesong products
6-Dec-2005
Goods made in the North Korean border city of Kaesong will likely benefit from a free trade agreement (FTA) to be signed between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, a senior presidential aide said Tuesday.
Korea pushing for FTAs with ASEAN by next year
6-Dec-2005
Korea aims to close free trade agreements with ASEAN countries by the end of 2006, presidential adviser for foreign affairs Chung Woo-sung said Tuesday. The government will seek to sign basic agreements during Korea-ASEAN summit talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Dec. 13.
Hyundai to put up plant in RP soon
6-Dec-2005 Manila Times
Hyundai Motor Co. will put up a car-assembly plant in the Philippines after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and South Korea forge a free-trade agreement, according to the Korean carmaker’s sole distributor in Manila.
Parliament ratifies FTA with Singapore
5-Dec-2005
Korea’s National Assembly has overwhelmingly ratified a free trade agreement with Singapore. The vote was 220:5 in favor with three abstentions.
Seoul to sign trade deal with ASEAN
1-Dec-2005
Korea is expected to sign a framework agreement for free trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in mid-December.
Protests turn violent near APEC venue
18-Nov-2005 Reuters
About 2,000 farmers and farm activists and 3,000 union workers took to the streets of Pusan to denounce APEC, the World Trade Organisation and US President George W Bush, who was attending the leaders’ meeting.
Understanding FTAs: going back to the basics
14-Nov-2005 Korea Herald
Despite being a late starter in pursuing bilateral free trade agreements, Korea has been actively seeking Free Trade Agreement talks with its trading partners around the world.
US links beef import to FTA with South Korea
9-Nov-2005 Korea Times
Alexander Vershbow, Washington’s top diplomat to Seoul, said Tuesday that South Korea’s lifting of the ban on US beef could trigger talks on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
Seoul moves to cut screen quota
5-Nov-2005 Korea Times
The Ministry of Finance and Economy seeks to slash the screen quota to the number of days demanded by the US before proceeding with the stagnating Korea-U.S. bilateral investment treaty (BIT) and free trade agreement (FTA) talks.
Korea pushing to mitigate impact of free trade deals
3-Nov-2005 Yonhap
South Korea is moving to provide financial assistance and other support to companies and their workers who are adversely affected by free trade agreements with foreign countries, officials said Tuesday.
New Zealand seeks free trade, film pact with South Korea
3-Nov-2005 Yonhap
New Zealand will pursue talks for free trade and a deal for joint film production with South Korea when their government officials meet during the APEC forum in Busan next month.