ISDS Case Map
Korea
South Korea's chief negotiator in free trade talks with the European Union (EU) said on Monday that Seoul will redouble its efforts to make a breakthrough on some sticky issues, including a dispute over auto trade, and called for an "equal" effort from Brussels.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said that rice will be exempted from free trade agreement talks altogether, while Seoul will stress the need to hold onto some protection for grain, vegetables and fruits.
South Korean and Japanese business lobby groups agreed to forge close cooperation to persuade the governments of their countries to resume free trade talks that are suspended over agriculture issues, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) said Tuesday.
Korea plans to accept a number of the European Union's demands for lifting tariffs on EU goods in the fifth round of the Korea-EU free trade agreement talks slated for Nov. 19 in Brussels
Korea's top negotiator to trade talks with the EU wants a deal to be concluded by year's end.
Korea's prime minister is concerned that the presidential election slated for Dec. 19 may divert parliamentary attention away from the FTA deal and other pending bills.
A free trade agreement with the South American trade bloc Mercosur could increase Korea's gross domestic product by up to two percent, a study by the two sides has found. The Foreign Ministry said the joint FTA study was adopted at a Korea-Mercosur policy meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay late last month.
A report from the US International Trade Commission (September 2007)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said Seoul stressed the need to reflect the concerns of local farmers in any future free trade agreement (FTA) with China at preliminary discussions held in Weihai last week.
Korea's ambassador to Washington Lee Tae-sik believes the free trade agreement between Korea and the US will be ratified sometime next year.
