1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

Judge’s Criticism of KORUS FTA is justified [English: BYK]

http://english.khan.co.kr/khan_art_view.html?artid=201111281337527&code=790101

Summary: Immediately after the National Assembly railroaded the KORUS FTA, Judge Choe posted on his Facebook page that he would never forget Nov 22, 2011, when, in his words, the president and trade officials, pro-American to the bone, sold out the common people and the national economy. No matter where one looks in his post, one cannot tell whether Choe violated constitutional or legal articles regarding the political neutrality of civil servants. Leaving aside the constitution and the laws, even if looked at with the common sense of the people, it doesn't deviate at all in its content, with which many constituents of the national community agree. The reactionary press is making an issue of the phrase "pro-American to the bone," but wasn't this, too, said as a boast by President Lee Myung-bak's elder brother, Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, to the US ambassador to Korea? Does this mean it is acceptable when the president's brother says it, but not when a judge says it? In particular, when we consider that Choe's post was an opinion made in a private space, Facebook, where he holds discussions with this acquaintances, there is even less to take issue with.

Opposition parties launch anti-FTA campaign [English: BYK]

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/507447.html

Summary: South Korea’s five opposition parties, while spreading their outdoor campaigns to have the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) nullified across the country, have decided to increase cooperation amongst themselves.  Those parties plan to make nullification of the agreement a joint manifesto pledge at next year’s general election.   As the first part of the a KORUS FTA scrapping strategy divided into several time periods and stages, the five opposition parties are planning a large-scale outdoor demonstration to stop President Lee Myung-bak’s signing of the KORUS FTA ratification bill, which is due to take place on Tuesday. They have decided to hold national citizens’ rallies in the center of Seoul on Nov. 30, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10, following that which took place on Saturday. They also plan to hold a large-scale rally in Busan on Dec. 2, expanding their outdoor campaign across the country.   The Democratic Party (DP) has decided to recruit a “citizens’ advertising team” of 5,000 people in order to place advertisements in newspapers urging that the agreement be abolished. In addition to the outdoor campaign, it has begun a legal examination with MINBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society in order to launch an appeal to the Constitutional Court to have the agreement ratification nullified, as well as putting together a “constitutional appeal group” of 10,000 people.

Q&A session on behalf of KORUS FTA Implementation [Korean, OYS]

http://www.khan.co.kr/?gomain

Kyunghyang Daily Newspaper (Nov. 23, 2011)

Q: How the price of U.S. Ag. Livestock and Seafood will reduce

A:  Pork belly meat‘s tariff 22.5% will phase out 2.25% every year for 10 years.  Right after the implementation, the U.S. pork belly meat price will not decrease a lot. Most of cheese’s 36% tariff will phase out to zero for 10 years.  Organic grape juice’s 45% tariff and fresh cherry’s 24% will remove immediately on implementation same as the wine’s 15% tariff.

Q: Does U.S. rice and beef included?

A: U.S. rice and rice related items are excluded to implement.  Current imported U.S. beef’ 40% tariff will phase out 15 years to zero. There will be possible to modify the change of importable age upon the two countries discussion from less than 30 months old U.S. beef.  

Samketang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) recorded 918 Kcal ( in case of 1000 grams are served) for one serving,  Record high calories out of 130 surveyed eating out meals: KFDA analyzed  130 different general eating out meals and weight of one serving of them which reported Samketang is more than half of one adult woman’s  required  Kcal per day of  1600-2100 Kcal.   

Price Lowered EU Foods, ‘Captured’ Korean Dining Table: 

Immediately removed wine, cereals, tomato ketchup and 10 years phased out frozen pork belly meats are sharply increasing sales in major retailers markets of E-mart, Lotte Mart and AK Plaza.

‘Why we should miss the trade of World Largest Market – U.S. Market?” [Korean, OYS]

http://www.khan.co.kr/?gomain

Kyunghyang Daily Newspaper (Nov. 25, 2011)

Summary: Ruling, Hannara Party (한나라당), congress man, Mr. KIM, Seyun, said ‘Resource deficit country, Korea should import resources and export to other countries after processed with high value added.  This export will accumulate the country’s further wealth.’  ‘Korea is the large scale trading country and Korean trading is expected to pass over the Korean GNP ($1 trillion) soon. It is not acceptable to refuse the KORUS-FTA which may miss the opportunity from U.S. ‘.   

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

Korea, Chile sign pork protection pact [English, CSY]

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20111127000284

Full text: Korean and Chilean pork producers are to benefit from knowledge and technology exchange programs following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries.   Anibal Ariztia, national director of the Chilean Livestock and Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Service (SAG) updated his organization’s MOU with the Korean Livestock and Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Services (QIA) while visiting Seoul earlier this month.   The revised pact will boost cooperation on preventing and controlling animal disease and promote good livestock production practices, both areas of concern for Korean farmers following the culling of hundreds of thousands of pigs during last winter’s foot and mouth outbreak here.   The agreement signed at QIA headquarters in Anyang on Nov. 10 furthered a cooperation program to support small and medium-sized Korean pork producers announced by Chilean Minister of Agriculture Jose Antonio Galilea during his visit here in April.

Not everybody convinced of US beef safety  [English, CSY]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2011/11/123_99561.html

3. MARKETING ISSUES

“Black Friday” Draws Heavy Traffic of Korean Shoppers to American On-Line Retailers [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/Economy/New/3/01/20111128/42186654/1

Summary: It is reported that an increased number of Korean shoppers are purchasing products from foreign on-line retail shops for lower price and wider selections.  It is expected that total direct purchase of goods by Korean consumers from foreign on-line shops would exceed $400 million this year, a significant increase from last year’s $158 million.  The “Black Friday” has become one of the top purchase seasons for local on-line shoppers for goods from the U.S. as it offers deep discounts on many products.  For now, goods valued less than 150,000 won (inclusive of the shipping cost) are allowed to enter Korea duty free.  Many freight forwarders are offering delivery services, linking foreign on-line retailers and local consumers.  While foreign-direct purchase offers Korean consumers with lower price and wider options, it is a serious threat to local retailers.

4. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

Chinese Pair-Trawling Fishing Boats Overfish in West Sea [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/Society/New/3/03/20111128/42186358/1

Summary: Among 1,700 Chinese fishing boats approved for fishing in the west sea’s EEZ area, 840 are pair-trawling boats that target every fish from the bottom to the surface of the sea (two boats tag a large net drawn down to the sea bottom behind together).  Although Korean government has been asking for tougher fishing regulation to Chinese government, it is not likely that these Chinese fishing boats will face tougher standards anytime soon.

Flood of cheap US meet and fruits …30% of Korean Pig farmer expect closing business [Korean, YSY] 

http://news.hankooki.com/lpage/economy/201111/h2011112602333421500.htm

Summary: due to US Korea FTA, Korea live stocks industry will lose 7.3 trillion won in 15 years, and 30% of Korean pig farmers will close the business, Korea Rural Economic Institute said.

5. MIFAFF PRESS RELEASES

► Korea opens up window for export of aquarium fish.  Korean aquarium fish exporters contracted $500,000 worth of exports during the China International Pet Show.

► Agricultural Water Reservoir turns into camping sites

► Korea expands fishing boundaries close to the 38 parallel, near Baekryung Island

► MIFAFF sets aside 100,000 MT of Chinese cabbage and radish to stop price drops for these products