Maximum amount to be imposed on exports
Possibility is high that the maximum allowable tariff will be imposed on South Korean agricultural exports in regulations by the World Trade Organization (WTO). South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries said that Crawford Falconer, chairman of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), the agricultural negotiating body of the WTO, suggested that final plans regarding the maximum tariffs be drawn up in anticipation of the WTO ministerial talks to be held June 29 to July 2.Under the proposed draft, developing nations as well as advanced countries would begin to be held to maximum tariffs without exception. Since South Korea itself imposes a tariff of over 250 percent on about 30 imports such as sweet potatoes, garlic, potatoes and ginseng, these products are expected to be hard hit by the WTO’s regulations. The ministry said, "Except for G10 nations, including South Korea and Switzerland, the U.S., the European Union and G20 nations have all agreed to introduce the maximum tariff, so circumstances are extremely bad for Korea." G10 nations is a group of 10 developed countries that largely import agricultural products, and G20 is a group of 20 developing countries that largely export them. Unless Korea backtracks to developing nation status again, the ministry said, "we will have to pay the cost. We should make concessions in agriculture or in other fields." The ministry continued, "There are more than 700 problems to be solved to complete the draft. The details will be fixed next month and will be enacted in 2008 at the earliest after they are ratified by the Korean National Assembly."
