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Korea has proposed gradually lifting tariffs on agricultural goods within 15 years under a planned free trade agreement with the U.S. Under a proposal handed to Washington on Tuesday, tariffs on manufactured goods would be lifted in up to 10 years and on textiles in up to five years, except for items on the reserved list, the government said. The initial timetable for cutting tariff covers a total of 11,261 items. Washington handed its own proposal over in return via the U.S. Embassy here.
Seoul put major agricultural products -- chiefly rice -- on the reserved list, but the U.S. reportedly wants Korea to open its agricultural market entirely, signaling a rocky road ahead in negotiations. ˇ°We were able to keep 40 items out of the FTA with ASEAN, but this may not be the case with the U.S.,ˇ± a Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry official said. Seoul and Washington are to start the third round of FTA negotiations on the lists in Seattle on Sept. 6.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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