S. Korea liberalizes imports

S. Korea liberalizes imports

SEOUL (AFP): South Korea is to lift import bans on 28 agro- fisheries products including condensed milk and silkworms in July as part of its liberalization program, government officials said yesterday.

Another three items -- grapes, apple juice and frozen pollack -- were freed from all import restrictions on January 1, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said.

The market opening followed the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), under which South Korea has earlier pledged to broden the scope of its import in the Agro-Fisheries sector, a ministry official said.

With the lifting of the bans, South Korea's market opening ratio in the sector would be raised from the current 94.3 percent to 95.9 percent, he said.

Remaining on the banned list -- except by government allotted quota -- are 80 items including rice, natural honey, oranges, beef, pork, chicken and flat fish, but the bans on 62 of the items should be lifted by 2001, the official said.