South Korea Plans to Apply for TPP Membership, Japan Expected to Support

According to Kyodo News, the South Korean government has essentially decided to apply for membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and is coordinating to announce the move at a ministerial meeting as early as late this month. Japan, which has been actively expanding the TPP since the United States withdrew, is expected to support South Korea’s application.

The report cites diplomatic sources from Japan and South Korea who revealed the information yesterday.

South Korea's import restrictions on Japanese seafood products, imposed after the Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, remain an outstanding issue in the accession process.

Following the nuclear incident, South Korea suspended imports of seafood from eight Japanese prefectures: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, and Chiba. While Japan does not formally demand the lifting of these restrictions as a condition for accession, it plans to establish a separate working-level consultation mechanism on seafood imports to create conditions conducive to lifting the ban.

Meanwhile, South Korean government sources have indicated that 'if negotiations aimed at resuming seafood imports prove difficult, Japan may ultimately express reservations about South Korea’s membership.'

The issue of South Korea joining the TPP was discussed during the January summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takagi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Takagi referenced the import restrictions and expressed a desire for dialogue to ensure science-based decision-making. (Edited by Ho Hung-jen) 1150613