S. Korea calls for wider access to Japan's agricultural market

By Park Sang-soo
SEOUL, July 6 (Yonhap) -- Japan has been urged to provide greater access to its
agricultural market in an effort to resume stalled negotiations over a bilateral
free trade agreement with South Korea, a high-ranking official here said Monday.
The negotiations that started in December 2003 have been blocked by Japan's
objection to liberalizing its agriculture market and South Korea's reluctance to
further open its automobile market.
The two sides held six rounds of talks up until November 2004, but the
negotiations have remained stalled for over four years as South Korean
negotiators believe Japan is unwilling to further open its agriculture and
fisheries sectors.
"We seek a high-level of openness in Japan's agriculture and fishery markets,"
Kim Ghee-whan, deputy general director of FTA policy at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, said during a radio program.
He stressed that a free trade deal between the two countries should secure a
balance of interests in the manufacturing and service sectors as well.
Last week, both countries held a working-level meeting in Tokyo on how to resume
the stalled free trade negotiations, the third of its kind since June last year,
but failed to make any progress in bridging their differences.
"Both countries will hold more working-level talks in the future to discuss the
free trade negotiations," Kim said.
Currently, South Korea is seeking parliamentary approval for an FTA with the
U.S., and is in negotiations with the European Union for a similar deal.
Asia's fourth-largest economy also has free trade agreements with Chile,
Singapore and the European Free Trade Association, as well as a partial pact with
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Seoul is also seeking trade deals
with Canada, India and Mexico.
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)