The four-day discussions, which will run through Friday, are taking place in Beijing and involve approximately 40 government officials.
The South Korean delegation is led by Kwon Hye-jin, the country’s chief trade negotiator, while Lin Feng, director-general of China’s Ministry of Commerce, heads the Chinese side, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The talks mark the 11th round of negotiations focused on enhancing provisions for services, investment, and financial cooperation. These sectors were not fully liberalized under the original free trade agreement, which went into effect in 2015. Formal negotiations to expand the scope of the deal began in 2018, with the most recent session held in January 2025.
“We intend to engage constructively in these discussions to ensure the agreement delivers practical benefits for our service industries,” the South Korean trade ministry said in a statement.
The latest round comes as global trade faces renewed uncertainty. Both South Korea and China are seeking to shore up economic stability and reduce trade imbalances amid growing protectionist pressures, particularly from the United States.
reporter
Kim Dong-young
davekim0807@ajupress.com
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