The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Hybe's new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be 'one and only' presence in K-pop

  • 3

    Brave Girls to restart activities under new name

  • 5

    Rapper Mino attends sister's wedding in U.S. amid military service

  • 7

    BTS' J-Hope to work as drill instructor at Army boot camp: sources

  • 9

    Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists

  • 11

    Actors' off-screen chemistry enthralls fans

  • 13

    Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers

  • 15

    Rude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penalties

  • 17

    'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema

  • 19

    Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues

  • 2

    Seoul city erroneously sends emergency alert after NK launch

  • 4

    NK's attempt to launch 1st spy satellite fails after 'abnormal' flight: S. Korean military

  • 6

    Seoul City takes flak for bungled emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch

  • 8

    Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s

  • 10

    Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age

  • 12

    Sluggish exports behind weak Korean won

  • 14

    Naver suffers shrinking online search market share

  • 16

    Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'

  • 18

    Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service

  • 20

    NATIONALKorea likely to face pressure over imports of Fukushima seafood

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, June 1, 2023 | 21:05
Society
Farmers, fishermen strongly oppose Korea joining CPTPP
Posted : 2022-03-29 09:03
Updated : 2022-03-30 10:22
Lee Kyung-min
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

A coalition of farmers and fishermen clashes with police in a building at the Sejong Government Complex, March 25. Yonhap
A coalition of farmers and fishermen clashes with police in a building at the Sejong Government Complex, March 25. Yonhap

By Lee Kyung-min

A coalition of farmers and fishermen are against the government's move to join a trade agreement with 11 countries in the trans-Pacific area, saying their livelihoods will be threatened greatly if Korea opens its market to global sellers of cheaper agricultural and marine products, according to industry analysts, Monday.

The agreement, known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), is widely considered a critical step to bolstering the global standing of Korea's manufacturing-centered, export-reliant economy.

This is why some state think tanks, including the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), and policymakers have been seeking to join the mega trade deal, saying that it could lead to annual GDP growth of between 0.33 and 0.35 percent, with about 3.6 trillion won ($2.9 billion) in benefits anticipated for Korea's consumers. The combined trade volume of CPTPP member countries accounts for 15 percent of the world's total trade volume.

Fierce protests

A dozen groups representing the interests of farmers and fishermen, including the Korean Advanced Farmers Federation (KAFF), held a protest near the Sejong Government Complex, March 25, where a public hearing was scheduled by the government to present trade, market and economic growth implications of the CPTPP.

Some of the protestors stormed into the building, cutting short the sessions attended by policymakers, academics and industry officials.

They said that Korea's traditional industries of agriculture and fishing are being cornered, with no countermeasures in place to offset their significant reductions or outright losses of income.

"Korea joining the CPTPP will lead to a massive inflow of cheaper foreign products into the local market," a KAFF official said. "The government is hastening the removal of import duties, citing the greater good of the country. All the while, workers in the traditional industries are increasingly worried about their basic survival ― let alone of making ends meet," he added.

The coalition's strong opposition is explained in part by the ratification of the similar but less invasive Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) last month. The RCEP is a trade agreement among 15 nations, including 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Korea will have to open 85 percent of its local agricultural market to overseas products under the RCEP, and the figure will spike to 95 percent under the CPTPP.



Emaillkm@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Seoul City takes flak for bungled emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch Seoul City takes flak for bungled emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch
2Rude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penaltiesRude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penalties
3In-N-Out Burger pop-up store attracts record crowd In-N-Out Burger pop-up store attracts record crowd
4[INTERVIEW] Asia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner INTERVIEWAsia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner
5Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online
6Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea
7Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services
8North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea
9AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle' AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle'
10Mercedes-Benz Korea appoints new CEO Mercedes-Benz Korea appoints new CEO
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out' INTERVIEWLee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out'
2From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June From hardcore action to heart-throbbing romance, series to hit in June
3'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema 'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema
4SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
5ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group