As the deadline for U.S.-South Korea tariff negotiations approaches, the possibility of opening the agricultural and livestock market is increasing. Amid fierce opposition voices within the governing coalition, there are also concerns that the unity between the ruling party and the government, which has continued since the inauguration of Lee Jae-myung's administration, may be collapsing.
On the 29th, according to political circles and government sources, the opening of the agricultural and livestock market was brought to the table in the U.S.-South Korea tariff negotiations. The presidential office stated at a briefing on the 28th that "it is true that the pressure from the U.S. side is very intense regarding the tariff negotiations," noting that there had been demands concerning agricultural and livestock products.
In the meantime, government insiders and outsiders have anticipated that the U.S. would demand additional opening for American rice, beef, and apples as a condition for tariff reductions. This forecast has turned out to be accurate.
Previously, Japan and the European Union (EU), which reached tariff agreements, promised to invest $550 billion (about 765 trillion won) and $600 billion (about 834.84 trillion won), respectively, in the U.S. This amount exceeds Korea's annual budget, making it difficult for us to promise such an investment to the U.S. The possibility of opening the agricultural and livestock market has emerged as we have to play all the cards we can offer.
The presidential office's "national interest theory" also increases the possibility of opening the agricultural and livestock market. The presidential office has instructed that the priority should be on "national interest" in relation to tariff negotiations with the U.S. It can be interpreted as indicating that if it is beneficial from the perspective of overall national interest, concessions in the agriculture and livestock sector cannot be ruled out. There is a similar reaction within the ruling party. A ruling party's re-elected lawmaker said, "Even if American beef over 30 months old comes in, domestic livestock competitiveness has increased, so I believe it can compete sufficiently," adding, "Rice and beef need to be viewed separately." This does not mean an absolute opposition to the opening of the agricultural and livestock market.
As this situation was reported, strong backlash has emerged within the governing coalition. Lawmakers from the governing coalition, including the Progressive Party, Rebuilding Korea Party, and The Social Democratic Party of Korea, announced a resolution the previous day to "withdraw the U.S. government's demand for expanded opening of the agricultural and livestock market and protect food sovereignty." This included lawmakers Lee Hun-ki and Bok Gi-wang from the Democratic Party of Korea.
In the resolution, they stated, "The demands of the Trump administration in the U.S. seriously harm our agriculture and food industry, undermine food sovereignty, and pose a threat to public health as unjust trade pressure, which cannot be accepted," and urged that "the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea calls for the government to halt trade negotiations that sacrifice agriculture and prepare strategic responses without undermining agriculture and food sovereignty."
They specifically pointed to the lifting of restrictions on the import of U.S. beef over 30 months old, expansion of rice purchases, and increased imports of apples as unreasonable demands from the U.S. Jeon Jong-deok, a lawmaker from the Progressive Party who led the resolution, stated at a press conference on the 28th that "the Lee Jae-myung government must declare a complete exclusion of agricultural and livestock products in tariff negotiations with the U.S. and clearly establish that food sovereignty is not a matter for negotiation."