Obama soon to submit Korea FTA to Congress for ratification: Campbell [English, OYS, CSY]
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/04/01/0200000000AEN20110401000200315.HTML

Summary: WASHINGTON, March 31 (Yonhap) -- The Obama administration Thursday called on Congress to expedite the process to begin the deliberation of a pending free trade deal with South Korea, saying it will soon submit the deal for ratification.

"The administration will submit the agreement to Congress soon," Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "This trade agreement will deliver immediate, significant economic benefits, but will also deepen our engagement and strengthen our partnership with a central ally in a volatile and rapidly growing region. In strategic terms, it will underscore our commitment to prosperity and security in the Asia Pacific and fortify our leadership role and influence in the region."

Congress urged to begin process to deliberate Korea FTA's ratification: USTR [English, OYS]
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/04/01/0200000000AEN20110401000100315.HTML

Summary: WASHINGTON, March 31 (Yonhap) -- The Obama administration has called on Congress to expedite the process to begin the deliberation of a pending free trade deal with South Korea for eventual ratification within months.

Miriam Sapiro, deputy U.S. trade representative, made the request at a hearing of the Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, according to a transcript released by the USTR Thursday, as some Republican congressmen threaten to block the Korea FTA unless it is submitted concurrently with deals with Colombia and Panama.
"Earlier this month, we notified the full committee that we are ready to begin work on the text of the implementing bill for the Korea FTA as soon as you are able to schedule those sessions," Sapiro said.

Korean friendship a boon for QLD producers [English, CSY, OYS]

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2011/03/29/korean-friendship-a-boon-for-qld-producers.html

Summary: Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies Tim Mulherin said today the longstanding and valuable relationship between Australia and the Republic of Korea will benefit Queensland’s food producers.   Mr Mulherin said in January, Shinsegae Group signed a contract for $1.25 million to import wild caught banana prawns from Queensland companies A Raptis and Son and Seafarm.  “They also imported more than $60 million worth of Queensland beef products last year, and for the first time last year mangoes were exported to South Korea and distributed through the Shinsegae,” he said.  “Members of the delegation were pleased to hear that Queensland is still open for business and fresh produce exports, despite enduring a few challenging months of natural disasters.  “Queensland agriculture has taken a hit from recent floods and cyclones, but the outlook is good for many producers – and we want to do everything we can to help those producers promote their products in Australia and overseas – letting the world know we are Back in Business.

[A Photo] Great green globes of flavor 

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2934237

Chilean Ambassador to Korea Hernan Brantes, center, and Chilean commercial attache Hernan Gutierrez, to his left, show seedless green grapes from Chile with Woo Joo-hee, right, chief of Lotte’s fresh produce department, at Lotte Mart yesterday. Chilean seedless green grapes are high in sugar since they are grown under the hot South American sun and nurtured by winds from the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.