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Korea

Caricom, South Korea sign cooperation pact
6-May-2006
Caricom and the Republic of Korea have identified seven areas of cooperation to be pursued including the promotion, expansion and diversification of trade and investment flows; and the exchange of views and information on measures to facilitate access to their respective markets, Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington said.
S Korea-US alliance good teamwork
6-May-2006
When I signed on to be a US diplomat almost 30 years ago, I never imagined it would lead to playing football with a Super Bowl MVP. Yet two weeks ago, I found myself standing in my living room in Seoul launching a pass to Hines Ward, the Korean American star of the Pittsburgh Steelers and MVP of Superbowl XL.
Seoul to resume stalled FTA talks with Japan
6-May-2006 Asia Times
South Korea’s finance minister says the country will seek to resume its stalled negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan after wrapping up a pact with the United States.
South Korea, Asean to cut ag tarrifs for FTA
4-May-2006 Wisonsin Ag Connection
Under the deal, South Korea designated 200 agricultural products that will be exempt from tariff reductions due to their effect on local farmers
Korean, Malaysian auto barriers pose trade negotiation challenge
3-May-2006
Opening up trade in autos poses a major challenge in free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with South Korea and Malaysia, experts in the United States say.
Kaesong goods to be included in ASEAN FTA
30-Apr-2006 Korea Times
ASEAN’s free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea would recognize products made in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the inter-Korean project, as South Korean products. This is in stark contrast to the politically sensitive nature of Kaesong in concurrent negotiations for an FTA with the United States.
Seoul to exclude products from trade deal
27-Apr-2006
South Korea’s chief negotiator to free trade talks with the United States said Thursday that Seoul will try to exclude "super-sensitive products" from the deal, an apparent appeasement to farmers vehemently opposed to the pact.
Asean-Korea trade deal sealed soon
26-Apr-2006 Manila Times
Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations expect to conclude a free trade agreement with South Korea in a meeting to be held in the Philippines next month, the Department of Trade and Industry said.
FTA with Japan, China would hurt local fisheries sector: report
26-Apr-2006 YONHAP
A free trade pact between South Korea, China and Japan could damage South Korea’s fisheries industry, a report said Wednesday.
Hopes of US duty-free access fading for Asian countries
26-Apr-2006 Emerging Textiles
The road to US duy-free access could be longer than expected for a series of emerging countries. While Pakistan was recently refused that textiles and apparel benefit from preferential treatment, chances of duty-free access for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Cambodia are progressively fading.
Korea-US FTA remains contentious
24-Apr-2006
Opinions were sharply divided at the National Assembly yesterday during a debate over the risks and benefits of a free trade agreement with the United States.
North Korean goods pose local threat
24-Apr-2006
Cheaper products from North Korea’s Kaesong special economic zone, which is a part of the proposed Asean-South Korean free trade agreement, may flood into Thailand and hurt local producers, according to executives of the Board of Trade.
Korea pledges to protect rice market in FTA talks
24-Apr-2006 Korea Times
The Ministry of Finance and Economy said that it would exert all-out efforts to shelter the Korean rice market from an influx of US agricultural imports after the enforcement of the proposed Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.
NZ-Korea free trade deal some time away
22-Apr-2006 stuff
New Zealand and Korea’s $2 billion two-way trade could be in danger of stagnating if New Zealand is shut out of future free trade agreements. However, it appears there is "little political will" in Korea to enter formal negotiations with New Zealand.
US FTA to hit service industry hard
21-Apr-2006 Korea Times
With low productivity and lack of competitiveness, Korea’s service industry is expected to face a critical test as the result of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Why farmers may block US-Korea FTA
21-Apr-2006 Asia Times
Those outside Korea tend to assume that negotiations for a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the United States are the perfect tool to weaken the South Korean addiction to agricultural protection.
Kaesong complex emerges as hurdle in FTA talks
20-Apr-2006 Chosun Ilbo
South Korea and the United States are holding behind the scenes negotiations to iron out differences ahead of a bilateral free trade agreement. One of many sticking points is whether the US will accept goods made in the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex as South Korean products.
US calls for more rigorous free trade pact with South Korea
20-Apr-2006 TMCnet
The United States’ free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea will have more provisions than those with other countries to reflect unique barriers specific to the Asian nation, according to Wendy Cutler, assistant US Trade Representative and chief negotiator to the South Korea-US FTA (KORUS FTA) talks.
The US and China: strategic disconnect
20-Apr-2006 TCS Daily
A large set of strategic economic and security questions will challenge both US and Chinese leaders over the next decade. These relate directly to the growth of Asian regionalism, with attendant political institutions, decisions regarding new regional trade and investment agreements, as well as a potential new security architecture for at least East and South Asia.
Framework for Korea-US FTA unveiled
19-Apr-2006 Chosun Ilbo
The two countries agreed to withhold some of the negotiation documents from the public for three years after the accord comes into effect.