Farmer Organizations: "If Agriculture and Livestock Sector Becomes Sacrificial Lamb in Trade Negotiations, We'll Take Collective Action"

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Seon-mi = As the possibility of additional market opening for Korean agricultural products emerges in Korea-U.S. trade negotiations, agricultural and livestock industry organizations are consecutively voicing concerns.

Agricultural and livestock industry organizations, including the Korea Agricultural and Livestock Federation, Korea Comprehensive Agricultural Organization Council, Livestock-Related Organizations Council, and Farmers' Path, held a joint press conference on the 18th in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, stating, "We will absolutely not overlook it if tariff and non-tariff barriers for agricultural and livestock products are dismantled without the understanding and consent of farmers" and "We will fight to secure the sustainability of Korean agriculture and guarantee the health rights of 50 million citizens."

They pointed out, "Korea is currently the 5th largest importer of U.S. agricultural and livestock products, with import volumes surging 56.6% over the past 15 years" and "This is a result of mostly eliminating domestic agricultural and livestock tariffs after the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took effect in 2012."

They further expressed concern, "In a situation where the agricultural and food trade balance is deteriorating, using agricultural and livestock markets as a negotiation card means abandoning the agricultural and livestock industry" and "If additional market opening occurs, domestic market penetration by U.S. agricultural and livestock products will intensify, leading to the collapse of domestic agricultural production infrastructure."

These organizations asked President Lee Jae-myung to "clearly demonstrate that rural field concerns about agricultural and livestock industries becoming sacrificial lambs in Korea-U.S. mutual tariff negotiations were mere groundless fears."

They demanded of Kim Jung-gwan, the candidate for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, "If you know the sacrifices of our farmers in past trade negotiations, you must now show it through actions, not words."

Agricultural organizations criticized the attitude of trade authorities regarding a statement by Yeo Han-gu, Director-General of Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, suggesting agricultural and livestock market expansion as a negotiation card, asking, "Whose interests are these trade authorities serving by creating public opinion as if farmers' desperate struggle to protect their right to survive is an obstacle to trade negotiations?" They urged his resignation.