- 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
Photo: Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0
25-Jul-2013
The South Korean Government is treating New Zealand unfairly, Prime Minister John Key has told Kiwi Korean War veterans as he ramps up pressure for a free trade deal.
14-Jun-2013
Yonhap
Under its new trade policy, Korea’s top priority will be to conclude negotiations for a bilateral FTA with China at the earliest date possible, while also seeking to speed up negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
1-Apr-2013
South Korea’s free trade agreement (FTA) with Turkey will go into effect in May, opening the door for the two nations to expand bilateral trade and boost economic cooperation, the Seoul government said Monday.
1-Feb-2013
Kyunghyang Shimun
The Korean government is fighting a ISD suit by US based private equity fund Lone Star. The ISD suit was established through Lone Star’s paper company in Belgium and initiated through an investment treaty between Belgium and South Korea.
2-Jan-2013
Arirang
In the new year, it seems the controversial Investor-State Dispute clause will become the biggest issue for the Korea-US FTA.
3-Sep-2012
The first round of free trade agreement talks between Vietnam and Korea kicked off on Monday in Seoul. During the talks that will continue until Tuesday, the two countries will discuss how to proceed with the negotiations.
Seoul’s foreign ministry expects the bilateral trade pact to enhance an existing free trade agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations that took effect in 2007.
2-Sep-2012
South Korea’s finance minister proposed resuming talks with Russia on bilateral economic partnership in order to establish a stronger cooperation framework between the two countries, his officials here said Wednesday.
22-Aug-2012
South Korea and Costa Rica agreed Tuesday to explore the possibility of a free trade agreement to build on their growing economic ties, the president’s office said.
8-Aug-2012
Bloomberg
South Korean consumers aren’t getting the full benefit of deals lowering trade barriers because distributors and wholesalers aren’t passing along the savings in import costs, the nation’s trade minister said.
2-Aug-2012
Arirang
Korea and Turkey signed a free trade agreement on Wednesday. This is the ninth trade pact signed by Korea.
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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