- 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
24-Jun-2012
Arirang
The two countries have decided to expand cooperation to various fields, such as education, culture and renewable energy, through an enhanced trade pact.
28-May-2012
Trade officials in Seoul indicated yesterday that South Korea and Colombia will soon conclude a free trade agreement (FTA).
12-May-2012
Hankyoreh
"We lose two trillion won every year because we are importing that amount of agricultural products from other countries, in this case, the United States. That means, ten percent of the population—300,000 peasants—will be forced out of their businesses every year. That means the end to our agricultural base. So, the FTA is a system for the one percent of the people."
10-May-2012
South Korea and Peru upgraded their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" Thursday in a move expected to bring the two far-off countries even closer after their economic ties got a boost from last year’s free trade agreement.
8-Apr-2012
A coalition of left of centre parties is well positioned to win South Korea’s parliamentary elections on Wednesday with a platform of improving social services and renegotiating a free-trade pact with the United States.
6-Apr-2012
Prices of certain imports from Europe and the U.S. have remained the same despite tariff cuts from free trade agreements with both economic blocs, the Fair Trade Commission in Seoul said Thursday.
6-Apr-2012
India plans to abolish the investor-state dispute system and renegotiate FTAs with South Korea, Singapore, and other countries, an Indian newspaper reported.
1-Apr-2012
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she will raise the topic of free trade with the South Korean president, but a final deal could be some way off.
1-Apr-2012
Importers and distributors, not consumers, are the chief beneficiaries of free trade agreements (FTA). Korea badly needs drastic reform in the distribution channels as consumers are victims of price gouging.
26-Mar-2012
The governments of Korea and Turkey on Monday provisionally signed a bilateral free trade agreement, completing three years of negotiations.
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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