Four Days of Korean and US FTA Talks
It has been four days of the sixth installment of Free Trade Agreement negotiations between Korea and the United States on January 17. Compromises on differences have centered textiles, agricultural products and environment for both countries.
The two countries opened agreements on ten different categories, including the environment, where the final adjustment proceeded with textiles. At the same time, they started the first official discussion on registration rights of land. In particular, high-ranking officials carried on to make an advance settlement over textiles. Korea pressed easing of the ‘Yarn Forward’ method, which is the biggest obstacle in the agreement, as well as early abolishing of tax on fabric goods. The US claimed, however, restrictions on third world roundabout exports and the necessity of introducing safeguards.
Industrial policy chief Lee Jae Hoon in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy was in the position of making the high-ranking agreement on fabrics. He stated, “The ministry will positively support the procedure of the practical agreement by monitoring it and providing a guide when it is required.” The channel in the higher position substantially led the agreement.
The department of agricultural and marine products, which are the main targets of this agreement, has also held separate conferences for two days to continue settling the ‘sensitive goods’, but there is no clear progress. Persons at the discussions explained, “Revisions are continuing about 500 disputed products, including sensitive products, where they have different points of view."
Prior to the meetings, the US on January 16 officially suggested dealing with beef and rice separately at the high-ranking meeting. Referring to the matter, Korea’s chief delegate Kim Jong Hoon said, “A high-ranking meeting will be held when it is necessary, but for now, the practical division sent a message to the US that the division has too much responsibility to take care of.”
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 01.18. 08:14
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