- Negotiations
The government of South Korea has concluded, or is pursuing negotiations for, a number of bilateral free trade and investment agreements. Korean social movements have been mobilizing in opposition to these ever since the Korea-Chile FTA was proposed. So far, South Korea has signed deals with Chile (2004), EFTA (2004), Singapore (2005), ASEAN (2007) the US (2007, ratified in 2011), Peru (2011) and Turkey (2012). Talks are under way with Canada, China, Mexico, India, the EU and, technically speaking, Japan. Negotiations with Colombia have stalled over Colombia’s demands for access for better terms for its fruit and flower exports than what Korea gives Chile and Peru. Seoul is also looking to open discussions with Mercosur, Malaysia, Mexico and possibly Israel.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0
9-Aug-2007
Hankyoreh
A private think-tank claims that South and North Korea should work on signing a free trade pact to prompt changes in the communist country and eventually achieve consolidation of the two divided Koreas.
24-Jul-2007
Chosun Ilbo
Korea has agreed with Russia to launch study group talks on a bilateral free trade agreement in September.
23-May-2007
Chosun Ilbo
Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Seoul’s signing of a free-trade pact with Beijing is inevitable but the timing must be right.
21-May-2007
Yonhap
South Korea’s top business organization on Monday urged the government to swiftly start free trade talks with Australia, saying a deal would be in the interest of both sides.
16-May-2007
Yonhap
South Korea and Australia will begin a joint study this year to explore a free trade agreement, a senior trade official said Wednesday.
12-May-2007
Moneycontrol India
South Korea hopes to wrap up a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India by December 2007. The CEPA would encompass trade in goods and services and investment.
25-Apr-2007
South Korea will quickly decide whether or not to launch negotiations for free trade agreements (FTA) with China, Australia and Gulf states, the nation’s top economic policymaker said Wednesday.
9-Apr-2007
Iran and South Korea have signed an agreement to create an exploratory committee aimed at boosting trade and investment between both countries.
6-Apr-2007
As official talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the U.S. have been completed, attention is focused on possible trade negotiations between Korea and other nations, such as the European Union and China.
5-Apr-2007
Playfuls
South Korea and India agreed to work towards sealing a comprehensive economic partnership agreement by the end of this year, the Seoul Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
Links
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KoPA is a coalition of around 50 NGOs, social movement organizations, political parties, peasant organizations and trade unions working, among other things, to stop bilateral and regional free trade agreements and the WTO.
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