Agriculture minister says CPTPP accession talks to be re-examined from scratch
In short
Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung told a National Assembly audit on Oct 7 that the government will re-examine CPTPP accession discussions from scratch, saying concerns in the farm sector remain large. President Lee Jae-myung had ordered the review at a cabinet meeting the previous day. A coalition of 75 agriculture and fisheries groups said it would tentatively hold off on a large rally planned for Oct 15.
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Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said on Oct 7 that the government would re-examine its push to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership from scratch, telling a National Assembly audit that concerns in the agricultural sector remain large. She said rebuilding trust and consensus with farmers comes first, and that the sector's sensitivity and the need for sufficient complementary measures should be discussed together, according to Chosun Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that President Lee Jae-myung had ordered a re-examination of CPTPP at a cabinet meeting the previous day. The government has estimated that joining the pact would reduce agriculture and fisheries production by an average of 850 billion won a year. Song said the agreement would likely demand the highest level of liberalisation, and that rice is an “ultra-sensitive” item for South Korea that must be protected first. Chosun Ilbo carried the same commitment to review the accession discussion from the start. [ 2 , 3 ]
Later the same day, a joint emergency committee of 75 agriculture, forestry and fisheries organizations said it would tentatively postpone a large rally that had been scheduled for Oct 15, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 3 ]
At the same audit, Song addressed a recent nationwide farmland survey. She said the finding that 27% of farmland violates the law does not mean those plots are subject to disposal, describing it instead as a sign that the farmland law needs to be changed to reflect reality, and said there would be no forced sales. She said she feels responsible for parts that were not sufficiently prepared, and that the survey's main purpose is to improve a farmland system that does not match conditions on the ground. [ 3 ]
Asked about a reported fall in farmland prices, Song said the decline reflects tighter farmland regulations since the 2021 LH case and higher interest rates, and that claims the survey reduced transactions and pushed prices down are not consistent with the facts. On budget concerns for the farmland bank, she said this year's funding was raised 25% from the previous year and the farmland pension budget set at a record high, but acknowledged it is not enough, adding that she would seek more in the National Assembly. Seoul Shinmun's headline also refers to solar power on idle farmland and a 1 trillion won fund, but no details of those measures are given in the available text. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The re-examination follows a presidential instruction and signals that the government is weighing farm-sector opposition against its push to join the trans-Pacific trade pact. How far the review goes is not stated, leaving the timing and conditions of any accession bid open. The dispute also touches domestic agricultural policy, including a contested farmland survey.
Key facts
- Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said at an Oct 7 National Assembly audit that CPTPP accession discussions would be re-examined from scratch. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Song said rebuilding trust and consensus with the agricultural sector comes first and that the sector's sensitivity and the need for sufficient complementary measures should be discussed together. [ 2 , 3 ]
- President Lee Jae-myung instructed a re-examination of CPTPP at a cabinet meeting the previous day, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 3 ]
- The government had estimated that CPTPP accession would cut agriculture and fisheries production by an average of 850 billion won a year. [ 3 ]
- A joint emergency committee of 75 agriculture, forestry and fisheries organizations said it would tentatively postpone a large rally scheduled for Oct 15. [ 3 ]
- Song said rice is an “ultra-sensitive” item for South Korea and must be protected first. [ 3 ]
- On the farmland survey, Song said the finding that 27% of farmland violates the law does not mean those plots are subject to disposal, and that there would be no forced sales. [ 3 ]
- Song said falling farmland prices were not caused by the survey, citing tighter regulations since the 2021 LH case and higher interest rates. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Seoul Shinmun's headline refers to solar power on idle farmland and a 1 trillion won fund, but no details of either are available in the documents. Only the headline from this outlet is available, with no article text or summary, so the scope, purpose and source of these measures cannot be established from the documents.
- The scope and timing of the CPTPP re-examination, and whether it means abandoning accession, are not stated. The documents say the discussion will be reviewed from scratch but do not define what the review covers or when it will conclude.
- Whether the Oct 15 rally will be held is not settled. Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the organizers said the rally is “tentatively” postponed, which is not a final cancellation.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- President Lee Jae-myung instructs a re-examination of CPTPP at a cabinet meeting, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun publishes its report citing the CPTPP re-examination amid opposition to opening, and referring to idle-farmland solar power and a 1 trillion won fund. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports Song Mi-ryung's remarks at the National Assembly agriculture committee audit. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes a fuller account of the audit, including the farmland survey dispute. [ 3 ]
- A large rally by the CPTPP opposition committee was scheduled for this date; organizers said it would be tentatively postponed. [ 3 ]