South Korea and Japan failed yet to decide the date to resume the bilateral free trade negotiations; South Korea plans to apply preferential tariff system to developing countries; North Korea wants the UN sanctions for nuclear defiance to be revoked
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    • South Korea and Japan failed to pin down the exact date to resume the bilateral free trade negotiations during the latest talks as noted by government officials. This is despite a mutual understanding on the need to conduct further discussions.1

    Meanwhile, North Korea asserted that the UN sanctions imposed on the communist regime for its nuclear defiance must be lifted in a meeting with a senior US official.2 Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama proposed setting up a liaison office in North Korea in the year 2010 which would help ease tensions between the two rival states.3 Both the countries have also agreed to re-launch the four-party framework to negotiate a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.4

    On the regional front, South Korea plans to apply preferential tariff system to developing countries starting late 2010. “The government plans to provide the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to developing nations in order to contribute to the global community as a developed nation,” an official at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance was quoted as saying.5 South Korea decided to restrict the passage and approach of foreign ships near its sea-based installations to strengthen the nation's overall maritime jurisdiction, as reports noted.6 Meanwhile, South Korea also agreed to expand bilateral military cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).7 In other developments, South Korea has been invited to participate in a NATO conference to be held in 2010 on ways to improve coordination between the armed forces of the coalition in Afghanistan.8

    There has also been agreement between the Foreign Ministers of South Korea and Australia to strengthen ties in security, trade, overseas development aid and other areas of mutual interest.9 On the military side, fighter pilots of South Korea and the United States began a three-day joint exercise aimed at enhancing their tactical coordination.10 South Korean President called for all-out efforts to improve the country's defense procurement process. He stated that the current system leaves enough room to encourage corruption.11

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