- 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
27-Mar-2006
Asia Times Online
A free trade agreement between South Korea and Japan is expected to reduce domestic sales of local carmakers by up to 226,000 units annually.
7-Mar-2006
New Zealand’s latest ambassador to Korea has arrived in Seoul with the clear and stated determination to see her predecessor’s efforts for a free trade agreement come to fruition. Also featuring high on Jane Coombs’ agenda is promoting a higher level of cooperation in the fields of science and technology.
13-Feb-2006
Korea Times
Improving the quality of locally grown agricultural products will be a key government goal this year as more imports are expected to be sold on the South Korean market, the country’s agriculture minister said Monday.
11-Feb-2006
Canberra hopes to reach a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Seoul, Peter Rowe, Australia’s new ambassador to South Korea, said on Thursday. He also underlined that the bilateral trade deal would not hurt South Korea’s agriculture industry.
9-Feb-2006
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Han Duck-soo Wednesday said that the Korean won’s current strength against the dollar will not last long.
9-Feb-2006
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Han Duck-soo said on Wednesday that the government would seek to resume free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Japan soon. Han said that recent developments have created a favorable climate for Korea to resume the FTA talks with Japan.
8-Feb-2006
Yonhap
South Korea and India announced Tuesday the start of negotiations aimed at signing a free trade deal by the end of next year, officials said.
7-Feb-2006
Yonhap
South Korea is willing to resume talks with Japan on a free trade agreement (FTA) if the latter promises to open its agricultural market wider, Seoul’s top economic policymaker said Saturday.
1-Feb-2006
JoongAng Daily
After reaching free trade agreements with relatively small economies such as Chile and Singapore, Korea is looking to expand its horizons as it prepares to launch free trade negotiations with two of the world’s leading economies.
1-Feb-2006
Xinhua
South Korea and Singapore agreed to begin implementation of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) on March 2, according to South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Tuesday.
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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