FAS/Seoul Monitoring of Media Reporting on Agricultural Issues 

Today's Date: Friday,  September  19,  2025

For Coverage:  September 12  ~  19,  2025

Korea’s Trade Chief Returns from U.S. Visit, Emphasizing “Korea Is Different from Japan”
https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250919009751003?section=industry/all
Korea’s chief trade negotiator Yeo Han-koo returned from Washington after follow-up talks on the stalled U.S.-Korea trade agreement. He emphasized to U.S. officials that Korea’s situation is different from Japan’s, while pushing back on U.S. demands over investment and profit-sharing. The two sides remain divided on key implementation issues, including tariff reductions and Korea’s request for a currency swap, as U.S. pressure continues to mount.

“Food imports are relied upon, but the legal framework is insufficient”… Could this open the way for discussions on enacting a ‘Food Security Act’? 
https://www.nongmin.com/article/20250918500123 
For the first time in the 22nd National Assembly, a bill to enact the ‘Food Security Act’ has been introduced. Since President Lee Jae-myung promised this during his campaign and the issue is now part of the new government’s agenda, legislative discussions are expected to gain momentum. Amid worsening global food crises due to climate change and unstable international conditions, South Korea’s heavy reliance on food imports highlights the lack of a legal system to secure stable food supply. 

ROK Aims to Cut Agricultural Distribution Costs by 10% by 2030
https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20250915/132393026/2
The ROK government announced a plan to cut agricultural distribution costs, which accounted for 49.2% of consumer prices in 2023, by 10% by 2030 and to halve price volatility for key products. Measures include boosting online wholesale market share from 6% to 50% within five years, expanding smart Agricultural Product Processing Centers (APCs) from 30 to 300, and supporting direct online sales. The government will also enforce stricter competition in wholesale markets, introduce fixed-price and pre-order transactions, and launch a mobile app by next year to improve consumer price transparency.

U.S. to Ban Imports of 14 Korean Seafood Products Under Marine Mammal Protection Act
https://www.mk.co.kr/news/economy/11421181
The United States announced it will ban imports of 14 Korean seafood products, including anchovies, flounder, and squid, starting next year under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The ban targets fishing methods that risk bycatch of marine mammals, forcing Korean fishermen to adjust practices and comply with stricter export procedures. While major exports like seaweed and oysters remain unaffected, the regulation is expected to impact about 5% of Korea’s seafood exports to the U.S.

Yeo Han-koo Vows to Produce Results in Line with National Interest… No New Openings for Agricultural Products 
https://news.tvchosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2025/09/15/2025091590163.html 
Yeo Han-koo, South Korea’s Chief Trade Negotiator at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated that despite difficulties in the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, he is doing his utmost to produce a reasonable outcome that serves the national interest. Speaking to reporters at Incheon International Airport before departing for Washington, D.C., he explained that his trip was not due to any urgent crisis but rather to demonstrate the government’s full-scale efforts, while making it clear that there would be no new market openings for agricultural products. He is expected to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to continue follow-up discussions on tariffs. 

ROK, U.S. in Tariff Standoff; Seoul Declares ‘No Deadline’
https://www.donga.com/news/Politics/article/all/20250915/132386070/2
ROK and U.S. officials failed to narrow differences in follow-up negotiations over a $350 billion investment fund tied to the July tariff agreement, with Washington pressing Seoul to accept Japan-style terms. The ROK government, citing domestic backlash from the recent detention of Korean workers in Georgia, signaled it will not rush the talks despite U.S. threats to restore 25% tariffs. Seoul is preparing for drawn-out negotiations ahead of the Oct. 31 APEC Summit, where a potential Trump visit could become a turning point, while also seeking financial safeguards such as a currency swap.

African Swine Fever Outbreak at a Pig Farm in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province 
https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250914049300030?section=industry/agriculture 
An outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) has been confirmed at a pig farm in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and the pigs will be culled in accordance with the SOP. The Central Disaster Management Headquarters dispatched quarantine teams to restrict access and imposed a 48-hour standstill order on five neighboring cities and counties. They also urged relevant agencies and farms to carry out swift quarantine measures and strictly follow biosecurity guidelines. 

First Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza This Season at a Native Chicken Farm in Paju, Gyeonggi Province 
https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20250913052300030?section=industry/agriculture 
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed at a native chicken farm in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, marking the first case of the 2025-2026 winter outbreak season, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MARFA) raised the alert level to “Caution” while implementing quarantine measures. The government is strengthening inspections and disinfection at traditional markets and native chicken farms nationwide and has designated every Wednesday as a “National Market Closure and Disinfection Day.” They are also implementing additional measures such as restricting vehicle access to migratory bird habitats, banning free-range poultry farming, and shortening inspection cycles, while investigating the cause of the outbreak. 

Rice price surpasses 220,000 KRW for the first time in 4 years… Government brings out the 'rice loan' card again 
https://www.hankyung.com/article/202509129790i 
As the farm-gate price of rice surpassed 220,000 KRW for the first time in four years, the government has once again pulled out the “rice loan” card. Although rice prices have surged sharply in the short term, it is analyzed that the government chose loans instead of simple releases to prevent a price collapse after the harvest season. However, within the industry, there are complaints that “it is difficult to readily borrow since the amount that will have to be repaid later is uncertain.” 

(Editorial Commentary – Summary of Local Press)

U.S.-ROK Tariff Talks Stalled; ROK Must Prepare for Worst-Case Scenarios and Plan B  
Follow-up discussions after tariff talks with the United States have stalled, eliminating the ‘tariff advantage’ that ROK automobiles have enjoyed under the U.S.-ROK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Under the current circumstances, the solution is for the ROK to finalize the negotiations quickly and secure a 15 percent tariff rate, just as Japan did. The problem, however, lies in the fact that the U.S. demands are excessively difficult to accept. [The U.S.’s investment demands] amount to what can only be described as exploitation, akin to asking for a blank check. While the United States emphasizes Japan’s acceptance of significant portions of its demands in managing $550 billion in investment funds, Japan is a reserve currency country with an economy 2.5 times larger than the ROK’s. If more than 80 percent of the ROK’s foreign exchange reserves ($416 billion) were to flow out in a short period, the won would skyrocket, exports would collapse, prices would surge, and the economy could tip into crisis. Despite this, the United States has rejected the ROK’s request for a currency swap as a safety measure. Furthermore, as seen in the Georgia detention incident, the United States has shown no hesitation in trampling on human rights, handcuffing and chaining ROK workers dispatched to the United States for investment purposes. It is difficult to view these negotiations as genuinely aimed at boosting mutual benefits. If the tariff negotiations collapse, it could give the United States an excuse to further raise tariffs. However, if the ROK hastily accepts the United States’ unreasonable and unilateral demands, the United States could easily present additional demands in the future. The ROK needs a negotiation strategy that prioritizes protecting the national interest. The ROK Government must approach the negotiations calmly and rationally, while preparing for worst-case scenarios and a Plan B.