At a Blue House dialogue with farmers and fishers on the 26th, President Lee Jae-myung said joining the CPTPP is unavoidable for the nation as a whole but pledged that farmers and fishers will not suffer unexpected harm. He reaffirmed his instruction not to apply within the year and to consult those affected first, and he mentioned raising direct public-interest payments.
According to the Kyunghyang Shinmun, President Lee Jae-myung said at a town-hall-style “Dialogue with Farmers and Fishers” held at the Blue House on the 26th that, on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), “for the country as a whole, we cannot not do it.” His point was that even with some opposition, joining is needed to move to the next stage. He also promised that farmers and fishers would not be hit by unexpected damage in the process.
광고 문의 · 300×250Lee said he has instructed the relevant ministries not to file an application this year and to decide the direction after thorough talks with farmers and fishers. He acknowledged that some oppose the CPTPP, adding that the government worries that stepping out of the trade-liberalization trend could shake the country’s standing as a trading nation.
Timing and the Japanese seafood issue
Lee predicted that reaching a final deal within his term is likely difficult, since unanimous consent of member states is required and talks take a long time. He said that after accession the focus should be on how to prepare supplementary measures.
One participant voiced concern that lifting import restrictions on Japanese seafood, which is cited as a precondition for joining, could undermine the foundation of the aquaculture industry. Lee named this a major practical obstacle. Whether the government has presented concrete countermeasures was not confirmed in this report.
Direct payments and the farmland survey
Lee said raising public-interest direct payments is a clear government task and is being prepared systematically. The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the current payment is about 5.19 million won per farm per year, which he assessed as lower than in Japan, Europe and the United States. He defined primary industry as a security-strategic sector and argued that, given its lower productivity, direct support should be increased.
On a full farmland survey, he said that to carry out policy one must know the actual situation, yet no survey has been done for about 70 years. He stressed the aim is not to seize farmland or impose disadvantages, and that those who hold farmland properly will not be harmed. Because farmers’ groups had earlier demanded that the plan be withdrawn, how far these remarks ease concerns on the ground remains to be seen.
