Seoul to launch joint study on FTA with China, Japan

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will launch a joint research project this
year with China and Japan to study the possibility of a three-way free trade
agreement (FTA) between the Northeast Asian nations, while also pushing to
conclude all its trade negotiations with other nations at an early date, the
foreign ministry said Wednesday.
The country will also continue to seek bilateral trade agreements with China and
Japan, the ministry said in a report to the National Assembly Foreign Affairs,
Trade and Unification Committee.
The country "will seek to play a leading role in pursuing the economic
integration of the Northeast Asian region by creating favorable conditions for
FTAs with neighboring countries, such as China and Japan," the ministry said.
The joint study with China and Japan, involving government officials, scholars
and business representatives of all three nations, will likely be launched in
April, according to the ministry report.
The country will also seek to conclude its ongoing free trade negotiations with
Australia, Colombia, New Zealand and Peru at an early date, while working to
launch negotiations with Turkey for a FTA within the first half of the year, it
said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)