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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


Free trade agreement with South Korea may be signed next month
A long-awaited trade deal with South Korea may be signed next month, according to the country’s ambassador to Cambodia.
S. Korea kicks off 7th round of free trade talks with Mercosur
South Korea said it has launched a new round of negotiations to clinch a free trade agreement with Mercosur, South America’s leading trading bloc, as it aims to further expand its export portfolio.
S. Korea seeks to resume FTA negotiations with Mexico
South Korea’s trade ministry said it wishes to resume free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Mexico in the near future as it aims to forge closer ties with the top economic partner in Central America.
South Korea/Mercosur round of trade talks at the end of the month
South Korea wants to advance with trade negotiations with Mercosur. Discussions started back in 2018 and at the end of the month, a seventh-round is slated to take place.
S. Korea, Uzbekistan eye closer economic ties
South Korea’s trade ministry said Thursday it plans to expand economic ties with Uzbekistan by launching new projects in a wide array of areas from ICT to the medical sector, as the COVID-19 pandemic has recently weighed down bilateral business cooperation.
Chilean foreign minister proposes to upgrade FTA
Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Andres Allamand visited Korea to discuss upgrading the Korea-Chile free trade agreement as well as other cooperative measures ahead of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in April 2022.
S. Korea to lift tariffs on imports from Indonesia, Israel under trade deals
South Korea will gradually lift or lower tariffs on more than 95 percent of its imported products from Indonesia and Israel as it has clinched trade deals with the two nations, the finance ministry said Tuesday.
Korea expresses desire to sign FTA with Pakistan
Republic of Korea Suh Sangpyo has expressed his desire to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Pakistan, saying that a FTA is essential for the promotion of bilateral trade.
S. Korea, Mercosur bloc hold 6th round of FTA talks
South Korea on Tuesday held the sixth round of free trade talks with a group of South American countries, after around a year of hiatus amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Korea becomes first Asian country to sign free trade agreement with Israel
Israel and South Korea signed a free trade agreement (FTA) earlier this week, which is expected to increase trade between the countries to more than $3 billion.