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South Korea's Lee orders CPTPP talks restarted from the beginning amid farm concerns
Коротко
President Lee Jae-myung instructed at a cabinet meeting on Oct 6 that the government should not fix a conclusion on joining the CPTPP and should “restart dialogue from the beginning,” saying the pact's strategic value is cited alongside very large concerns in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said no accession conclusion will be set in advance and the government will first hold talks again with stakeholders; Chosun Ilbo reported she described it as re-examining accession from a zero base. An analysis by the industry ministry and related agencies cited in the reports projects real GDP 0.38 percentage points higher 10 years after entry and agricultural, forestry and fisheries output down about 850 billion won a year.
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President Lee Jae-myung instructed at a cabinet meeting on Oct 6 that the government should not fix a conclusion on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and should “restart dialogue from the beginning,” saying that while some argue CPTPP's strategic value is important amid upheaval in the international trade order, concerns in the agriculture and fisheries sectors are very large. He said policy should be pursued by weighing the national interest on the premise of farmers' and fishermen's trust and consensus. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung relayed the remarks in a written briefing after the closed-door meeting. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Asked whether restarting dialogue meant re-examining accession or collecting more of farmers' grievances, Kang said the government would not set an accession conclusion in advance and would first talk again with stakeholders from the starting point, Asia Economy reported. Chosun Ilbo reported that Kang described the instruction as re-examining accession itself from a zero base, and framed the move as a change of position after farmers protesting the government's farmland survey also objected to opening agricultural markets. Business outlets read the instruction as speed control on the government's preparations. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
The instruction followed an economic impact analysis by the industry ministry and related agencies cited in the reports: real GDP 0.38 percentage points higher 10 years after entry, manufacturing production rising by up to 6.7 trillion won a year over 15 years, and agricultural, forestry and fisheries output falling by about 850 billion won a year as markets open. Maeil Business said manufacturing and export-oriented companies could open new markets including Mexico, while farm, forestry and fisheries sectors could be hit by cheaper imports from dairy and agricultural exporters such as Australia and Canada. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
In a public session of the same meeting, Lee said that when government policy benefits one sector it creates a losing sector, and that the government's core role is to balance the two and minimise sacrifices. He promised to expand the agricultural and fishing co-prosperity fund from about 325.5 billion won to more than 1 trillion won, with 200 billion won in next year's budget and 500 billion won added later, along with distribution reform and expanded essential services in rural areas. [ 2 , 5 ]
Lee also ordered a review of using farmland for solar power, saying after a briefing on the farmland survey that converting farmland for solar generation earns several times more than ordinary farming, that idle farmland is plentiful, and that Korea must move toward an electricity-based economy in which renewable energy, and solar in particular, is central. He said the government should support licensing and facility funding for rural areas. [ 4 , 5 ]
Before the meeting, on Sept 29, Lee had written on X that he knows better than anyone the importance of agriculture, livestock and forestry as strategic security industries and told people not to worry too much about CPTPP. Chosun Ilbo reported that the Blue House had said since early this year that it hoped to join the Japan-led pact, that Japan's position was that easing import restrictions on Fukushima agricultural and fishery products was necessary for accession, and that the government said in August it would review whether to join in the second half. [ 5 , 6 ]
Почему это важно
The instruction slows a trade decision that would open South Korea's farm market while, according to the government analysis cited in the reports, raising overall output and manufacturing production. By tying the process to farmers' and fishermen's trust and consensus, Lee makes the pace of any accession bid depend on the stakeholders who stand to lose. Chosun Ilbo's account links the timing to farmer protests over the government's nationwide farmland survey, which also produced objections to opening agricultural markets.
Ключевые факты
- President Lee Jae-myung instructed at an Oct 6 cabinet meeting that the government not fix a conclusion on CPTPP accession and restart dialogue from the beginning. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Lee said there are views that CPTPP's strategic value matters amid upheaval in the international trade order, and views that concerns in the agriculture and fisheries sectors are very large. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said the government will not set an accession conclusion in advance and will first talk again with stakeholders from the starting point. [ 2 , 6 ]
- Lee said policy should be pursued by weighing the national interest on the premise of farmers' and fishermen's trust and consensus. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- An analysis by the industry ministry and related agencies cited in the reports projects real GDP 0.38 percentage points higher 10 years after entry, manufacturing production up to 6.7 trillion won a year, and agricultural, forestry and fisheries output down about 850 billion won a year. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Lee promised to expand the agricultural and fishing co-prosperity fund from about 325.5 billion won to more than 1 trillion won. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Lee ordered a review of using farmland for solar power, saying such projects earn several times more than ordinary farming. [ 4 , 5 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- Lee made the CPTPP instruction at a cabinet meeting on Oct 6, relayed by senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The instruction was that the government should not set a conclusion in advance and should start dialogue again from the beginning. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Lee said policy should be pursued by weighing the national interest on the premise of farmers' and fishermen's trust and consensus. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The impact analysis cited in the reports projects GDP 0.38 percentage points higher 10 years after entry, manufacturing production effects of up to 6.7 trillion won a year, and a decline of about 850 billion won a year in agricultural, forestry and fisheries output. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Kang Yoo-jung said the government will not fix an accession conclusion in advance and will first hold talks again with stakeholders. [ 2 , 6 ]
- Lee ordered a review of using farmland for solar power. [ 4 , 5 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether the instruction amounts to halting or reversing CPTPP accession. Chosun Ilbo reports Kang described it as a re-examination from a zero base and frames it as a change of position after farmers' protests, while other outlets describe it as not fixing a conclusion and as speed control on the government's preparations; no document states a formal decision to withdraw.
- Japan's reported position that easing import restrictions on Fukushima agricultural and fishery products is necessary for CPTPP accession. Reported only by Chosun Ilbo, with no response from either government in the documents.
- When the new stakeholder talks will be held and who will take part. No document gives a timetable, participants or terms for the talks.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Lee writes on X that he knows the importance of agriculture, livestock and forestry as strategic security industries and tells people not to worry too much about CPTPP. [ 5 ]
- Yonhap reports the instruction from the closed cabinet meeting, relayed by the senior spokesperson, with the government impact analysis figures. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy reports the instruction and Kang's answer that no accession conclusion is set in advance, and adds plans to expand the co-prosperity fund to 1 trillion won. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily carries the instruction in its headline as a call to restart talks from the beginning. [ 3 ]
- Maeil Business reports the instruction, an interpretation of speed control, and Lee's order to review using farmland for solar power. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports the instruction, the Sept 29 X post, the farmland solar remarks and the co-prosperity fund expansion. [ 5 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports that Kang described the instruction as re-examining accession from a zero base, after farmers protesting the farmland survey also opposed opening agricultural markets. [ 6 ]