- 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
26-Dec-2010
South Korea will seek to clinch more free trade agreements (FTAs) with emerging countries, including those from South America and Africa, in a bid to boost trade, the main engine behind the country’s rapid economic growth.
17-Nov-2010
Manila Times
Seoul is interested in forging a bilateral trade pact with Manila, the South Korean envoy said on Tuesday.
15-Nov-2010
Korea Times
South Korea and Peru signed a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), Monday, which is expected to be implemented midway through next year after being approved by the parliaments of both countries.
21-Oct-2010
Yonhap
Business leaders from Korea and China agreed yesterday to cooperate for an early launch of free trade negotiations between the two countries, the Federation of Korean Industries said yesterday.
30-Sep-2010
NTDTV
Chanting slogans, shaving their heads and painting banners using their own blood, more than 10,000 farmers gathered in downtown Seoul for the biggest rally by the farmers this year.
30-Aug-2010
Korea is on track to have a second free trade partner in South America after Chile back in 2003.
24-Aug-2010
South Korea and Peru will hold their fifth round of free trade negotiations next week, Seoul’s trade ministry said Tuesday.
11-Aug-2010
MCOT
Nearly half of South Korean companies are worried that the new trade pact between China and Taiwan could negatively affect their businesses.
28-Jul-2010
Chosun Ilbo
Korea has suggested that major agricultural products and fisheries should be excluded from a free trade agreement with China but Beijing reportedly turned the proposal down.
1-Jul-2010
President Lee Myung-bak will hold a summit with Mexican President Felipe Calderon Thursday (local time) to discuss an early resumption of talks on signing a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), Cheong Wa Dae said.
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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