- Negotiations
The government of South Korea and nine members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam) signed an FTA together in May 2006, which took effect in July 2006.
Due to concerns about agriculture, particularly the deal’s provisions on rice and livestock, Thailand negotiated separate arrangements with the Korean government to join the pact in early 2009. Korea is also interested in a separate, higher level FTA with Malaysia.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0
9-Apr-2007
IHT
South Korea said Monday that a free trade agreement covering goods with nine of the ten members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations will take effect on June 1.
23-Nov-2006
MCOT
Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet on Wednesday reiterated that Thailand would not sign an ASEAN-Korea free trade area (FTA) agreement unless Korea agrees to liberalise its policies on agricultural products, especially rice.
16-Oct-2006
Asia Pulse
South Korea plans to introduce special safeguard measures to protect local companies from import surges that may occur once its free trade pact with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) goes into effect, the government said Monday.
26-Aug-2006
Thailand, the sole Asean country yet to sign the grouping’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea, hopes to resume negotiations with Seoul before the Asean Summit in Cebu in December.
25-Aug-2006
ASEAN countries agreed to accept South Korea’s request to recognize some products from a North Korean industrial park as South Korean as part of their plan for a free trade pact, officials here said Thursday.
24-Aug-2006
Thailand and South Korea failed Thursday to reach an agreement in negotiations into the issue of rice trade between the two nations, impeding the implementation of a regional trade pact between Southeast Asia and Seoul.
19-Jun-2006
Bangkok Post
Bangkok is continuing to negotiate with the Seoul government after refusing to sign an Asean-Korea trade pact last month because of Korea’s resistance to opening up its rice market.
26-May-2006
Bangkok Post
Thailand has reaffirmed that it did not sign the Asean-South Korean free trade agreement on goods because of rice. South Korea insisted on excluding rice under its sensitive list, but Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter, demanded that it open up its local market.
16-May-2006
The Nation
South Korea signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday but founding member Thailand was left out due to internal disagreements and objections to Seoul’s barriers on farm products.
15-May-2006
Thailand will not be included in a free trade agreement to be signed between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and South Korea this week, the Philippine trade secretary said Monday.
