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
Consider India as the key partner of the country’s New Southern policy, South Korea need to further beef up the economic cooperation.
South Korea held the fifth round of free trade talks with a group of South American countries, including Brazil, with a goal of striking the deal this year.
South Korea’s trade deficit in the agricultural segment is expected to widen this year as imports of farm goods are set to expand at a faster pace than exports on the back of the country’s free trade agreement (FTA) networks.
South Korea signed the FTA with Panama and the four Central American countries — Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and El Salvador — which have already finished the domestic procedures for the agreement.
South Korea plans to bolster economic ties with Russia, Mongolia and other Central Asian nations and use the momentum to buttress recovery of the export-driven economy.
South Korea said it plans to hold the 3rd round of FTA negotiations with Russia in the service and investment segments this week, as the country endeavors to diversify its trade portfolio amid protectionism.
South Korea has concluded no fewer than 99 investment agreements that allows paper companies to take advantage of investor-state dispute system.
South Korea has secured 16 free trade partners — 12 countries and four trade blocs — around the globe since it started pursuing bilateral free trade agreements two decades ago.
South Korea said it plans to expand its global network of free-trade agreements in 2020 by establishing deeper ties with emerging countries.
President Moon Jae-in pledged to expand South Korea‘s global free trade agreement network to boost its economic growth and fend off protectionism.
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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, to stop bilateral and regional free trade agreements and the WTO. -
Occupy FTA
