- Negotiations
Canada and South Korea are currently negotiating an FTA. The talks began in July 2005 but are yet to be concluded.
Both countries are aiming for a comprehensive agreement, with the Canadian government’s sights set on increasing food and forestry exports to Korea. But the implications for Canada are huge. Canada currently imports more cars than it exports and a deal with Seoul — headquarters of KIA, Hyundai and Daewoo (GM) — could gut Canada’s industry and with it 15,000 jobs. Korean farmers, labour groups and consumers, for their part, expect negative impacts on Korean food and agriculture. This includes strong potential problems around beef (numerous outbreaks of mad cow disease have already occurred in Canada) and barley.
last update: May 2012 | logo from the Canadian Auto Workers Local 200
2-May-2007
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay on Wednesday called on South Korea to remove its ban on Canadian beef imports, saying it could be a stumbling block in talks for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
29-Apr-2007
Trade delegates from Korea and Canada wrapped up their tenth round of free trade talks in Seoul last Thursday.
24-Apr-2007
Trade Minister David Emerson says he’s speeding ahead with free-trade talks with South Korea despite objections from the auto sector, and expects to sign a deal this year.
23-Apr-2007
During Korea-Canada free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, set to resume in their 10th round on April 23, Canada is reportedly going to bring to the table proposals on sensitive issues, such as its access to the South Korean beef market. The same issue brought controversy to the FTA between South Korea and the U.S., a deal agreed upon on April 2.
19-Apr-2007
The South Korean government said Thursday it will hold its 10th round of free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Canada next week in Seoul.
19-Apr-2007
Edmonton Journal
Wary North American automakers and their unions are warning the Canadian government not to be tempted by a recently concluded South Korea-US free trade pact into a similar deal.
4-Apr-2007
CBC
"For the Koreans, the US was a priority so now that that is out of the way, we’re hopeful we’ll reach an agreement in the near future," a Canadian government official said Tuesday.
6-Feb-2007
Korea Times
Korea and Canada have made progress on agricultural issues in their latest free trade talks, brightening the prospect for a formal agreement, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forest said Tuesday in Seoul.
28-Nov-2006
Korea Herald
Canada has pushed for wider access to Korea’s agriculture market during the eighth round of talks for a bilateral free trade agreement last week.
3-Oct-2006
Korea is seeking to exclude 240 agricultural products out of a total of 1,452 from the tariff cut proposals exchanged with Canada during the seventh round of free trade agreement talks, the government said yesterday.
