S. Korean minister fired over GATT

S. Korean minister fired over GATT

SEOUL (Reuter): South Korean President Kim Young-sam dismissed his agriculture minister yesterday in response to a political row over Seoul's concessions during world trade talks.

A presidential spokesman said Kim Yang-bae was replaced by Vice-Interior Minister Choi In-kee.

Kim Yang-bae's ministry has been under fire recently for breaking a promise not to revise some terms of the draft Uruguay Round trade pact.

"The morality of the civilian government has been damaged because of revisions," a presidential spokesman said.

Details of any revision have not been made public. But opposition politicians have accused the government of cheating farmers by agreeing in a secret deal with the United States to cut tariffs on some farm products.

South Korea signed the Uruguay Round pact despite massive opposition to rice imports. These will start from 1995 under the terms of the pact sponsored by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

The main opposition Democratic Party has vowed to join dissidents and students in protest rallies against Seoul's decision to allow imports of rice and other farm products.

Kim Yang-bae was appointed agriculture minister only in December in a major cabinet reshuffle aimed at placating public anger over the decision to allow rice imports.

The results of the Uruguay Round talks will go to the National Assembly later this month for approval. The opposition has vowed to block its passage.