CPTPP Impact Assessment Table Rises…75 Agricultural, Forestry, Fisheries, and Livestock Groups Hold 'Face-to-Face' Meeting with Government

The agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and forestry sectors, which are closely monitoring the possibility of the government joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), will sit down with relevant ministries.

This is to examine the impact on agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry and directly convey concerns about additional market opening to the government.

According to the Korea Rural Leaders' Central Association and others on the 24th, the 'Emergency Committee Against CPTPP Joining for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Livestock' will hold a joint inter-ministerial seminar at Creation Room 1 of the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, at 2 p.m. on the 28th.

Representatives and operational managers from participating organizations of the Emergency Committee, along with officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Korea Forest Service; as well as researchers from the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) and the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), are expected to attend.

The core of the seminar today is the impact assessment by sector resulting from CPTPP membership. Researchers from KREI and KMI will present their findings on the impacts on agriculture, fisheries, and other sectors, followed by a 70-minute open discussion between industry representatives and government officials based on these assessments.

The agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and forestry sectors are concerned that CPTPP membership could lead to more intense market opening than existing free trade agreements (FTAs). This stems from the judgment that if pressure mounts to eliminate tariffs on sensitive agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, competition with imported goods will intensify and domestic production bases may weaken.

Concerns are also high regarding sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS). The agricultural sector believes that changes in quarantine procedures and standards—not just tariff reductions—could serve as a channel for increased imports of agricultural and livestock products. The fisheries and forestry sectors are closely watching the possibility of price declines and contraction of production bases due to expanded imports.

This seminar is expected to go beyond the agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and forestry sectors merely expressing vague opposition; instead, it will serve as an opportunity to directly review impact assessments from the government and research institutions, and to concretize item-specific damages and response measures.

The Emergency Committee's position is that before the government formally begins discussions on joining, it must disclose the exact scale of damage and vulnerable sectors, and prepare sufficient domestic consultations and protective measures.

Participating organizations in the Emergency Committee include the Korea General Agricultural Organizations Council, the Korea Livestock Federation, Farmers' Road with Citizens, the Association of Livestock-Related Organizations, Fisheries-Related Organizations, and the Korea Forestry Owners' General Association.

A total of 75 organizations have joined, including the Korea Rural Leaders' Central Association, the Korea Successor Farm Management Operators' Central Association, the Korea 4-H Central Headquarters, the National Farmers' Association Federation, the Korean Pork Association, the National Hanwoo Association, the Korea Fisheries Business Managers' Central Association, and the Korea Professional Foresters' Association.

Agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and forestry organizations with different production items and interests have formed a united front over the CPTPP issue.

The Emergency Committee plans to listen to sector-specific impact assessment results at this seminar, convey on-site industry opinions to the government, and establish future activity directions and follow-up response plans.

A representative from the agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and forestry sectors stated, "Whether or not to join the CPTPP is a very important issue that can affect not only tariff issues for agricultural, livestock, and fishery products but also quarantine, production bases, and overall food security." They added, "The government should not prioritize economic effects alone; it must fully consider on-site concerns and the possibility of sector-specific damages."