Korea, Canada Pledge to Work for Progress on FTA

(Chosun Ilbo)

President Lee Myung-bak and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Monday agreed to work for progress in bilateral free trade negotiations. The two met at Cheong Wa Dae.

Korea and Canada launched free trade talks in 2005, but 13 rounds of negotiations have failed to produce an accord due to differences on issues like the resumption of beef imports from Canada. Following the summit, Harper told a press conference that the World Trade Organization is reviewing Canada’s complaint about Korea’s refusal to resume beef imports, but he and Lee discussed ways to remove roadblocks.

Lee said, “The Korean government has the principle that it will resume the imports of Canadian beef someday. There are some problems unresolved. But I think the two countries will be able to reach agreement.”

Korea halted Canadian beef imports when mad cow disease broke out in Canada in May 2003. Canada has demanded that Korea resume them, noting the world organization for animal health (OIE) ruled in May 2007 that Canada had the disease under control. It filed a suit against Korea with the WTO in April this year calling for a resumption of imports, and procedures are under way.