- 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
4-Dec-2023
Yonhap News Agency
South Korea and Britain will begin negotiations for upgrading the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) next month in response to changing global business circumstances.
21-Nov-2023
Reuters
Britain and South Korea will launch negotiations on a new free trade agreement (FTA) and sign a new diplomatic accord during a state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol this week.
20-Nov-2023
Bangkok Post
Talks are underway for South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy to enter an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Thailand.
14-Nov-2023
Korea Times
Korea’s trade ministry said it has agreed with Georgia to officially launch negotiations for a comprehensive economic partnership on trade and supply chains.
24-Oct-2023
Yonhap News Agency
South Korea struck a free trade agreement with Ecuador and plan to officially sign the deal in the first half of next year following due domestic procedures. Under the deal, South Korea will remove tariffs on 96.4 percent of all items and Ecuador will lift tariffs on 92.8 percent of all products traded.
23-Oct-2023
The Korea Times
Korea and a group of Arab countries were set to launch a new round of negotiations for their free trade deal in Seoul on Monday, Seoul’s industry ministry said Sunday.
4-Oct-2023
Yonhap
South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have launched formal negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement, Seoul’s industry ministry said.
11-Sep-2023
Malaya Business Insight
Following the signing last week of the free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, the Philippines is readying similar deals with other countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the European Union (EU) and through Asean with Canada.
8-Sep-2023
Yonhap
South Korean Prime Minister welcomed the signing of a bilateral investment treaty aimed at promoting mutual investments between the two countries.
5-Sep-2023
Yonhap News Agency
Guatemala will join a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and a group of Central American nations, Seoul’s trade ministry said. Guatemala was initially among dialogue partners for the FTA, but it had stepped out during negotiations amid differences on tariff and country of origin related rules.
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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