Korean Job Discussion Forums

minmintong · Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Location: Suwon, South Korea

I've seen numerous petitions around Suwon and Seoul against the FTA. Does anyone have more info?

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

Go to Policy Brief: Negotiating the Korea United States Free Trade Agreement after clicking on the link and open up the .pdf file. This is one perspective, and its promoting the FTA, but it's chock full of stats and data on it.

A number of points:

- As of right now, Noh Moo Hyun wants the Kaesong Complex in North Korea to apply to the FTA.

- Rice Tariffs in Korea are 1000%, I believe one of the highest tariffs on any product in any part of the world, if not the highest.

- Imports from the US to the ROK, and vice versa have steadily dropped in the last few years.

Slep · Joined: 14 Oct 2006

From what I understand, this will be the largest US trade agreement since NAFTA.
Enjoy the cancerous substances added to your oil SK.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Of course there is opposition to any FTA. Someone's ox is always getting gored. Roh has said that the next FTAs on the agenda are with China and the EU.

I haven't read up on it, but I'm cynic enough to suspect that Korea wants free trade agreements with anyone it can cajole into opening more markets to its imports while keeping its own markets closed.