So what are the odds that the streets of Seoul will be full of protesters denouncing this free trade agreement like their were protesting against the US FTA with Seoul over the American beef issue?:
Australia and South Korea will this week start preparatory talks on a free trade agreement, Australia’s Minister for Trade Simon Crean said.
The initial talks between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak will take place in Seoul on Oct. 13-15, according to a statement e-mailed today from Crean’s office. The talks were agreed on during Rudd’s visit to Seoul in August.
South Korea is Australia’s fourth-largest export market, worth A$15.3 billion ($9.8 billion) in goods and services last year. Energy, minerals and metals accounted for about two-thirds of exports, according to the Australian government. Total two- way trade was A$21.8 billion in 2007, making South Korea Australia’s sixth-largest trading partner. [Bloomberg]
The chance of protesters denouncing these trade talks is probably about as likely as protesters filling the streets of Seoul protesting dangerous Chinese food products that caused a mass food scare across the world.
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