By Seo Soo-min
Staff Reporter

President Roh Moo-hyun reiterated on Tuesday that the nation will have to open up its markets further, including the agricultural sector which has harshly resisted the signing of free trade agreements (FTA) with foreign nations. The pending approval of an FTA with Chile in particular has provided a lightening rod for farmers’anger.

``We should not further delay (ratifying) the Korea-Chile Free Trade Agreement,’’ he said, speaking at a ceremony commemorating Farmers’ Day.

``Opening up is an inevitable trend of the times. It will be difficult but we have to overcome it,’’ the President said at the event, held at the Rural Development Administration in Suwon, Kyonggi-do.

He vowed that the government would provide strong support to farmers, including a massive 191 trillion won assistance package to be dispensed over the next ten years to help farming households address financial difficulties.

Roh pointed out that four special bills await passage at the National Assembly, including one on cushioning farmers against the shock of an FTA with Chile.

The government has had difficulty ratifying the FTA it negotiated with the South American nation. The FTA would symbolize Korea’s first foray into the world of FTAs and dissent has been fierce.

The agreement is currently awaiting a vote by National Assembly members. Many lawmakers hailing from the country’s agricultural regions have declared their opposition unless a better assistance package for the farmers is developed.

A final decision on the matter will likely come later this month or early December. Pending approval, the FTA would go into effect from next February.

Farmers bitterly resist the scheme, worrying in particular about the impact of cheap Chilean fruits on the market here. They have banded together with civic groups to demand a suspension of related discussions until the Doha Development Agenda negotiations are finished.

In September a South Korean farmer committed suicide in Cancun, Mexico to protest the plight of small farmers who are ruined by international trade.

The nation’s farming sector has been in decline due to rapid industrialization and abandonment.

ssm@koreatimes.co.kr