Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo to hold conduct joint study on free trade

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, China and Japan will conduct a
working-level joint study on the feasibility of a free trade agreement among the
three Northeast Asian countries, beginning next week, Seoul's trade ministry said
Wednesday.
The three nations conducted a similar joint study on free trade from 2003 to
2009, led by civilian researchers.
In October last year, trade ministers from the three nations agreed to hold
another working-level joint study on the agreement, with government and industry
officials also participating.
During next week's two-day meeting that starts in Seoul on Thursday, officials
and researchers from the three nations will review results of the previous
feasibility study, and decide how they will conduct their own research, according
to the ministry.
Earlier this month, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Seoul needs to
consider a free trade agreement with Beijing in order to keep up with other
nations in adjusting to trade conditions stemming from China's rapid rise in the
global economy.
Free trade talks between Seoul and Tokyo have been stalled since late 2004 mainly
because of Japan's reluctance to bring down tariffs on agricultural goods.
The two countries started preliminary talks to resume the stalled negotiations in
June 2008, and have since met four times, including the latest meeting in
December last year.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)