South Korean farm coalition mobilizes against possible CPTPP accession

Seventy-five organizations form joint committee

A coalition of 75 South Korean organizations representing agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry has launched a joint campaign against the country’s possible accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. The coalition argues that another round of market opening could weaken domestic production and is demanding a detailed assessment before the government decides whether to pursue membership.

According to rwn.co.kr, the organizations established an emergency committee to block CPTPP accession and held an inaugural ceremony and joint press conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on the 21st. Participants include the Korean Council of Comprehensive Agricultural Organizations, the Korea Agriculture and Livestock Federation, Farmers’ Road with the People and the Council of Livestock-related Organizations, alongside fisheries and forestry groups.

The committee called on the government to stop accession discussions. Its members say agriculture and other primary industries have already borne the effects of market opening under multiple free trade agreements and should not again be required to absorb a disproportionate share of the adjustment. They fear that the CPTPP’s high level of liberalization could threaten both the domestic production base and the long-term viability of affected industries.

Government says no accession decision has been made

The government discussed its future approach to CPTPP accession at the 273rd Meeting of Ministers on International Economic Affairs on August 27. It then began a process of public discussion and consultation with interested parties to determine whether the country should move forward. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said at the time that no decision on accession had been made.

The ministry said it would communicate sufficiently with stakeholders and assess whether membership would provide tangible benefits for the national interest and people’s livelihoods. Farm organizations, however, want the analysis to precede any further political momentum. Their committee plans to ask the agriculture ministry, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Forest Service to explain the status and principal findings of their respective impact reviews.

The requested reviews would cover agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry separately. The coalition says the expected damage and consequences of additional market access must be disclosed clearly and examined together with the industries concerned. The source material does not provide government estimates of output losses, import growth or price effects, leaving the scale and distribution of any potential impact unresolved.

Protests and local resolutions planned

The committee intends to place banners opposing accession across regional communities before the Chuseok holiday. On the 28th, it plans to request briefings from the agriculture and fisheries ministries and the Korea Forest Service about sectoral impact assessments and the main issues under review. The participating organizations will use that information to formulate their next response.

A large rally against CPTPP accession is scheduled for October 15 in Seoul. The coalition will also ask city, county and provincial councils nationwide to adopt resolutions opposing membership. It plans to monitor the government’s deliberations and coordinate further action among its members. For producers, processors and traders, the dispute means that the direction and timetable of South Korea’s trade policy remain uncertain: the government is still consulting, while a broad alliance of primary-industry groups is pressing for quantified evidence before any commitment is made.