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  1. Negotiations

Korea


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

See also
Korea, India aim to find middle ground on farm goods at Cepa talks
22-Sep-2008     Yonhap
"The aim of the talks will be to ensure the greatest possible protection for sensitive items, so that if a CEPA pact is signed, the fallout for local farmers can be minimized," a Korean ministry official said. He added that talks are entering the home stretch.
Korea, India aim to conclude trade deal by year's end
18-Sep-2008     KBS
South Korea and India will resume trade talks next week in Seoul to sign an economic cooperation agreement.
S Korea looks into FTAs with Turkey, Peru
12-Sep-2008     Xinhua
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the country has started assessing the impact of free-trade agreement (FTA) with Turkey, and is also seriously considering to start formal talks for FTA with Peru, Korea Herald reported Thursday.
Progress in CEPA Talks with India
2-Aug-2008    
Korean negotiators say talks with Indian officials to strike a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement produced considerable progress.
S Korea to push forward bilateral FTA deals after WTO talks collapse
30-Jul-2008     Xinhua
South Korea will push forward bilateral free trade agreements as the global trade talks under the World Trade Organization finished without progress, South Korean Deputy Trade Minister Ahn Ho-young said Wednesday
'ROK postpones FTA talks over Takeshima reference'
20-Jul-2008     Daily Yomiuri
Talks between Japan and South Korea on resuming negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement have been postponed indefinitely after Seoul said it was unhappy over a reference to the Takeshima islets in school handbooks
SKorea, Gulf states agree to forge free trade deal next year
9-Jul-2008     AFP
South Korea and six Gulf states agreed Wednesday to forge a free trade deal by the end of next year, a chief negotiator from the Seoul side said.
S. Korea, India agree to speed up free trade talks
8-Jul-2008     Yonhap
South Korea and India have held five rounds of CEPA (comprehensive economic partnership agreement) negotiations thus far, but the pact -- which is similar to a free trade agreement -- has yet to be concluded due to remaining disputes over rules of origin, services and agricultural trade.
Korea, Gulf states to begin FTA talks
3-Jul-2008     MySinchew
South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold their first round of talks for a free-trade agreement in Seoul next week, seeking to establish a basic approach for negotiating the envisioned deal
Seoul, Beijing upgrade partnership
27-May-2008     Korea Times
President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed Tuesday to forge a "strategic partnership" between the two countries. The free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Korea and China will be sought after joint research.

Referenced sites

Korean People's Action against FTA and WTO (KoPA)

KoPA is a coalition of around 50 NGOs, social movement organizations, political parties, peasant organizations and trade unions working, among other things, ...

Occupy FTA