SEOUL, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- South Korea and the United States opened a new round of free trade talks Monday in Seoul amid protests by farmers and opposition lawmakers.
The ninth round of talks, aimed at tearing down trade barriers between the two countries, is seen as crucial in reaching an agreement by March to meet their time schedule.
The two countries, which launched FTA talks in Washington last June, hope to wrap up the negotiations three months before U.S. President George W. Bush's power to sign trade deals without being subject to congressional amendment expires on July 1, 2007.
During five-day talks this week, the two sides would look to bridge contentious gaps in disputed sectors, such as U.S. anti-dumping and countervailing rules, and opening up South Korea's auto, drug and beef markets, negotiators said.
In a press conference at a Seoul hotel, top U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler voiced optimism about this week's talks. "The United States is prepared to make progress in all of these three issues at the chief negotiator level," she said.
Cutler also demanded a full opening of South Korea's beef market, warning the issue is "critical" in reaching a free trade deal with South Korea.
Outside of the negotiation venue, hundreds of farmers and activists staged protests at the free trade talks, saying the opening of local markets would destroy local industries and wipe out their livelihoods. But protestors were blocked by 15,000 riot police.
Nine lawmakers from the country's leftist opposition Democratic Labor Party launched a five-day hunger strike to oppose any free trade deal with the United States.
