(Yonhap Interview) S. Korea-Israel FTA to foster 'creative economy': envoy

By Lee Haye-ah SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- A free trade agreement between South Korea and Israel would help foster innovation and entrepreneurship as both countries boast advanced technologies, the Israeli ambassador to Seoul said Thursday. Innovation and entrepreneurship have been at the center of President Park Geun-hye's "creative economy" policy, which seeks to create new industries and jobs through a fusion of science, culture and other fields. Amb. Uri Gutman said South Korea and Israel could further strengthen their partnership in creative industries within the framework of a bilateral FTA. "It's not just the numbers that will certainly grow," he said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency at the Israeli embassy. "But it's also the added value of cooperation on the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship." Last week, Park vowed to push for new free trade agreements to help revive South Korea's exports, citing Israel, Mexico and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. South Korea and Israel began talks on a bilateral FTA in 2009, but progress has been slow amid Seoul's efforts to seal free trade pacts with major trading partners, such as China. The South Korea-China FTA was ratified by the National Assembly on Nov. 30 after the government agreed to provide direct financial support to farmers and fishermen affected by the deal. An FTA with Israel would not pose such challenges, Gutman said. "Israeli agriculture is not a threat to Korea. We don't export," he said. "And all the imports of the agricultural goods from Israel are fertilizers and agricultural technology that actually helps the Korean agriculture." Gutman also expressed hope for further cooperation in the fields of water technology, research and emergency preparedness, saying the two nations could do more to help developing countries together. Last year, two-way trade reached some US$2.2 billion, according to official data. Of the total, South Korean exports accounted for $1.23 billion. hague@yna.co.kr (END)