- 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
17-Feb-2015
iPolitics
South Korea says it’s banning imports of Canadian beef after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease,” was found on a northern Alberta farm earlier this week, despite reassurances from Canada’s agriculture minister the case would not impact Canadian beef trade.
22-Sep-2014
Chosun Ilbo
Korea and Canada officially sign a free trade agreement on Monday according to terms agreed in March after nine years of tough negotiations.
13-Mar-2014
Mississuaga
A union representing about 3,000 workers at the Chrysler Group in Brampton is saying a just-announced free trade agreement between Canada and South Korea poses a “serious threat” to the Canadian auto industry.
11-Mar-2014
AFP
South Korea and Canada concluded a free-trade agreement Tuesday, wrapping up a negotiating process that began nine years ago and focused on barriers in the auto and agriculture sectors.
9-Mar-2014
Prime Minister Stephen Harper departed Sunday for South Korea, widely expected to complete another long round of free-trade negotiations that his critics were denouncing as secretive and potentially bad for Canadian workers.
11-Feb-2014
A wide array of manufacturing groups and companies is urging the federal government to reach a free-trade agreement with South Korea, warning Canada is being beaten by rivals in the race to do business with the fast-growing country.
24-Jan-2014
A Canada-Korea trade deal looks like a winner for Canadian agribusiness, but the auto industry is making a last-ditch push to head off the agreement.
15-Jan-2014
Globe and Mail
Canada and South Korea are moving closer to a long-delayed free trade deal amid stiff resistance from Canadian-based auto makers.
5-Dec-2013
The Diplomat
A number of obstacles to a free trade agreement remain on both sides, but there is growing incentive to overcome them.
1-Apr-2013
Agriculture has long been the bane of Canadian trade negotiators. No trade deal gets done without crossing farmers first.
