President Lee: “CPTPP cannot be avoided, even if it is frustrating ... A final deal is unlikely during my term”

On the 26th, President Lee Jae Myung addressed the issue of joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), saying, “It is much more likely that a final deal will not be reached during my term,” but adding, “For the country as a whole, we have to do this, even if it draws some criticism, so that we can move on to the next stage.” He stressed, however, “I have instructed them not to apply for membership this year and to decide on a direction after communicating fully.” This was seen as reaffirming that there would be no immediate application to join CPTPP while signaling that necessary steps must still be taken in the country’s long-term interest.
At the “Dialogue with Farmers and Fishers” held that day at the state guesthouse at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee spoke about joining CPTPP: “Submitting an application does not mean it will be approved. In fact, what is the easiest choice for a politician? It is best not to do anything like this at all.”
He continued, “I know this is frustrating for you, but it cannot be avoided,” and stressed, “For the country as a whole, we cannot simply avoid doing this. If we do proceed, we need to focus on what compensatory measures to put in place.” He also noted that negotiations to join CPTPP would take considerable time, saying, “I don’t know if it will happen during my term,” and joking, “You don’t need to worry, since I won’t serve a second term.”
The event was broadcast live, with around 110 farmers and fishers in attendance. It was the first meeting between a president and farmers’ and fishers’ groups in eight years, since 2018.
“For the Republic of Korea as a whole, it is very important to expand global export markets, which are often called our economic territory, because we are an open-trade country that depends on exports and trade,” President Lee said. “For example, we cannot live on semiconductors alone, but neither can we live on agriculture alone.”
President Lee made clear that the agriculture and fisheries sectors must not be forced to make one-sided sacrifices as trade policies, including CPTPP accession, are pursued. “My view has not changed: primary industries should not be approached in terms of comparative advantage, but regarded as security and strategic industries essential to the survival of the Republic of Korea,” he said.
He also stressed the need to compensate for harm caused by the implementation of policies. “If some people make special sacrifices for everyone, it is only right to provide ample compensation commensurate with, or greater than, those sacrifices. That is the fundamental premise,” President Lee said. “I believe we must not impose losses and harm unilaterally on people just because they have little power or are small in number.” He added, “I believe direct support for farm households should be increased,” and explained, “I consider elevating public-interest direct payments to a national priority a clear government task.” He also suggested considering a levy on export industries that benefit from CPTPP accession.
President Lee said, “We will do everything we can to ensure that agriculture, fisheries, forestry and livestock farming do not suffer unexpected harm.” He continued, “We will debate and discuss as much as possible, show respect, make adjustments, consult and seek agreement, but in the end there will be areas where agreement is impossible. Ultimately, someone with the authority will have to make a responsible decision on this gap and bear all the consequences.” He added, “Reaching agreement is best, but if we cannot, someone will have to decide on the remaining issues and will inevitably face criticism from everyone. I believe that is also my role.”
On the comprehensive farmland survey, President Lee said, “There are misunderstandings and concerns that have nothing to do with the government’s original policy intent.” He added, “To implement policies concerning farmland, we need to know its condition, and the law requires us to do so. No survey has been conducted for 70 years.”
President Lee continued, “Our minister, Song Mi-ryeong of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, proposed to me, ‘The law requires this, but it has not been done for decades, so let’s conduct a comprehensive survey,’ and that is why we did it.” He stressed, “This is not intended to take farmland away or impose an adverse measure.” He added, “We want to check whether land bought after being declared for farming is being used properly,” and explained, “You don’t need to worry that your land will be taken away.”
[email protected] Choi Jong-geun, Seong Seok-woo Reporter