Angry Farmers' Group Demands Trade Negotiation Head to Apologize

[Financial News] Farmers' groups have protested against Yeo Han-gu, head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Trade Negotiation Headquarters, for his remarks on "strategic judgment on agricultural products" during Korea-U.S. negotiations. They also expressed their intention to launch nationwide farmer protests.
 The Korea Future Farmers Central Association (Hannongyeon) held an emergency press conference in front of the President's Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul at 2 p.m. on the 16th, opposing the "Korea-U.S. Mutual Tariff Negotiation on the Removal of Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers on Agricultural and Livestock Products." This is to oppose the trade authorities' consideration of easing tariff and non-tariff barriers on agricultural and livestock products as a negotiation card for mutual tariff adjustment.
 Within Hannongyeon, more than 30 executives, including Hong Yeon-shin, President of the Jeonnam Provincial Association, Yang Gwang-seok, President of the Chungbuk Provincial Association, and Song Jong-man, President of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Association, who each represent rice, livestock, and apple products, participated.
 Earlier, on the 14th, Yeo Han-gu, head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Trade Negotiation Headquarters, said at a briefing on major Korea-U.S. trade achievements, "Whether we negotiate with the U.S., Southeast Asia, or any country, there has never been a trade negotiation where agricultural products were not painful, and at the same time, our industrial competitiveness has been strengthened," adding, "I believe strategic judgment is necessary for the agricultural sector as well."
 This statement came after he returned from a visit to Washington DC, USA, from the 5th to the 10th, where he completed discussions with the U.S., leaving room for interpretation as a statement opening up the possibility of further opening of agricultural and livestock products.
 On this day, President Choi Heung-sik said, "Amid the irrational trade pressure from the U.S., the possibility of our government accepting the easing of non-tariff barriers, including sanitary and quarantine measures for agricultural and livestock products, which the U.S. has consistently raised, is being anticipated," adding, "Director Yeo made anti-agricultural and deceptive remarks without hesitation." He continued, "We urge the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters to immediately apologize to the farmers and confidently demand that the agricultural sector be protected," adding, "If the demands of the agricultural field are ignored, we will respond with the second and third nationwide farmer protests."
 President Choi already criticized the imbalance in agricultural trade with the U.S.
 He said, "Last year, our country's import of U.S. agricultural and livestock products amounted to about $9.5 billion, while exports were only about $1.5 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of about $8 billion with the U.S.," adding, "Among all trading countries, including those with which we have signed free trade agreements (FTAs), the deficit is the largest." He continued, "Over the past 15 years, imports from the U.S. have surged by about 57%, resulting in our country becoming the world's fifth-largest importer of U.S. agricultural and livestock products."


junjun@fnnews.com Choi Yong-jun Reporter