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Australia seeking FTA with South Korea 15 May 2009

Australia's top diplomat in South Korea says a free-trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries will provide a platform for improved two-way ties.
Australia seeking FTA with South Korea
He brushed off concerns that it may undermine Seoul's agricultural sector.
 
South Korea and Australia are scheduled to start formal talks on a free-trade agreement next week in Canberra, with the goal of forging a deal within a year.
 
 
Two-way trade reached US$23.2 billion (AUS$30.56 billion) last year with South Korea posting a deficit of US$12.8 billion (AUS$16.86 billion), government statistics showed.
 
 
South Korean farmers strongly oppose FTAs, which they argue will only result in flooding the domestic agricultural market with cheap imports.
 
 
Gerovich pointed out that Australian agricultural goods take up less than 20 per cent of the country's exports to South Korea.
"For example, beef, the single-largest agricultural import from Australia, competes primarily with other imported beef, and Koreans will buy 'hanwoo' (domestic-bred) beef regardless of an FTA," the ambassador said.
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