- 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
22-Sep-2006
South Korea said Friday it will open a seventh round of formal talks next week on a proposed free trade agreement with Canada.
21-Sep-2006
A free-trade deal Ottawa is negotiating with South Korea could cost Canada up to 33,000 jobs — including 4,000 in the auto industry — this country’s largest private sector union warned yesterday.
20-Sep-2006
Bloomberg
Canada probably wouldn’t benefit from a free trade agreement it’s negotiating with South Korea as part of a strategy to increase business with Asia, according to two studies posted on the Canadian trade ministry’s Web site.
20-Sep-2006
Canadian Press
A free trade agreement with South Korea would cost thousands of jobs in Canada, union leader Buzz Hargrove warned Tuesday.
18-Sep-2006
Canada Agri-Food Trade Alliance
Canada Agri-Food Trade Alliance Comments on Free Trade Negotiations with Korea, House Standing Committee on International Trade, June 14 2006.
9-Sep-2006
The Ontario government is demanding that Ottawa exclude the auto sector from free trade talks with Korea because of potential harm to the industry.
30-Aug-2006
Embassy
Two months after voting for its release, opposition MPs are still waiting for an Industry Canada study outlining the impacts a proposed free trade agreement with the Asian nation would have on Canada’s car manufacturing and ship-building industries.
3-Jul-2006
Canada has urged South Korea to remove tariffs on beef and pork as part of envisioned bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), government officials said Monday.
21-Jun-2006
South Korea will hold a series of talks with Canada in Seoul next week on a free trade agreement (FTA), the country’s Agriculture Ministry said Tuesday.
15-Jun-2006
The Record
Kitchener joined a growing list of Canadian municipalities worried about the impact a proposed free-trade agreement with South Korea will have on the crucial automotive sector of southwestern Ontario’s economy.