- 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
11-Jan-2021
UrduPoint
South Korea plans to speed up negotiations on free trade in the investment and services areas with Russia and China, President Moon Jae-in said.
4-Jan-2021
Yonhap
South Korea plans to sign more FTAs down the road to diversify its trade portfolio and ease its heavy dependence on China and the United States, which take up around 40 percent of exports.
18-Dec-2020
Korea Herald
South Korea formally inked a comprehensive trade deal with Indonesia, paving the way for local exporters to penetrate deeper into the Southeast Asian market.
10-Dec-2020
i24 News
Israel and South Korea are set to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) next week, according to Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry’s confirmation. The FTA will be signed over Zoom and in the presence of the ambassadors of the two countries and senior government ministers.
16-Nov-2020
Yonhap
The two sides will hold discussions on five categories — goods, intellectual property rights, trade promotion, anti-corruption and cooperation.
6-Nov-2020
Korea Herald
South Korea and Uzbekistan agreed to announce the launch of trade talks at an opportune time in an effort to expand bilateral trade, the government said.
29-Oct-2020
The Korea Times
In September this year, India and South Korea resumed renegotiation of their landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that played a key role in spurring trade between the two sides and boosted bilateral ties.
23-Oct-2020
Globes
The soon to be signed agreement was delayed because of Korean political concerns that have been removed by Israel-UAE normalization.
16-Oct-2020
Korea Herald
Korean Deputy Foreign Minister will visit Mexico for talks with his counterpart and other officials over economic cooperation, including the resumption of bilateral free trade talks.
12-Oct-2020
Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia and South Korea have productively concluded the third round of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), which is expected to boost bilateral trade and investment once it enters into force.
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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bilaterals.org team, Jan 2021