Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06SEOUL1981, KOREA-ASEAN FTA: TRADE IN GOODS AGREEMENT FINALIZED

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06SEOUL1981.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06SEOUL1981 2006-06-14 08:35 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Seoul
VZCZCXRO8239
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHUL #1981/01 1650835
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140835Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8440
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0798
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0867
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC 1499
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001981 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/K AND EB/TPP 
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/OPB/EAP/DUTTON 
PASS USTR FOR CUTLER, WEISEL, AUGEROT AND KI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD PREL KS XC
SUBJECT: KOREA-ASEAN FTA: TRADE IN GOODS AGREEMENT FINALIZED 
 
REF: SEOUL 449 AND PREVIOUS 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN), with the exception of Thailand, finalized 
and signed the Trade in Goods (TIG) part of their free trade 
agreement (FTA) on May 16 in Manila.  The agreement will 
liberalize 90 percent of tariff lines, amounting to 90 
percent of trade volume by 2010.  Liberalization follows two 
tracks: a "Normal Track," which accounts for 90 percent of 
goods and trade volume, and a "Sensitive Track," which 
applies to 6-7 percent of goods and 7 percent of trade 
volume.  The Sensitive Track is further broken down into a 
"sensitive list" and a "highly sensitive list," each with 
its own staging periods and exclusions.  The remaining three 
percent are taken up by tariff lines fully excluded from 
liberalization. 
 
2. (SBU) Korea succeeded in cajoling ASEAN members into 
granting preferential treatment to some goods processed in 
the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) located in North Korea 
(in which South Korean firms manufacture goods and parts for 
the South Korean market using cheap North Korean labor). 
However, such preferential treatment will apply to less than 
half of the products manufactured in the KIC -- more 
restrictive treatment than Korea was able to obtain in its 
FTAs with Singapore and the European Free Trade Association 
(EFTA).  End summary. 
 
THE NORMAL TRACK 
---------------- 
 
3. (SBU) Kim Min-cheol, Country Coordinator for the Korea- 
ASEAN FTA in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
(MOFAT), provided Econoff with a detailed briefing on the 
provisions of the FTA on June 13.  He explained that for 
purposes of the FTA, ASEAN is divided into two groups -- the 
six, more developed, original ASEAN members (ASEAN 6) and 
the four lesser developed members: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, 
and Vietnam (CLMV).  Obligations and staging periods differ 
somewhat among the two groups, with the CLMV countries 
enjoying longer phase-in periods for liberalization. 
 
4. (SBU) According to Kim, the bulk of goods traded among 
Korea and the ASEAN members are to be liberalized according 
to what the TIG part of the FTA defines as the "Normal 
Track."  This box contains 90 percent of tariff lines 
comprising 90 percent of the trade volume between Korea and 
the individual ASEAN members.  Each ASEAN member will 
maintain its own concession list -- there is not a common 
ASEAN list.  Korea and the ASEAN 6 countries will eliminate 
tariffs included in the Normal Track by 2010, except for 
Indonesia and the Philippines, which will be allowed to wait 
until 2012 to fully eliminate tariffs on 5 percent of their 
Normal Track tariff lines.  Vietnam will have until 2016 to 
eliminate its Normal Track tariffs, with Cambodia, Burma, 
and Vietnam having until 2018. 
 
5. (SBU) Korea will eliminate 70 percent of its Normal Track 
tariffs (i.e. 70 percent of 90 percent) upon the agreement's 
entry into force, while the ASEAN 6 countries will eliminate 
50 percent of their Normal Track tariffs upon 
implementation.  For tariffs not immediately eliminated, 
staging periods are calculated by formula, based on the 
respective products' initial MFN applied tariff rate, with 
higher tariffs being eliminated over a longer period of time 
than lower initial tariffs.  All tariff lines are based on 
HS six-digit categories. 
 
THE SENSITIVE TRACK 
------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) The Korea-ASEAN TIG Agreement contains extensive 
provisions for according special treatment to politically 
sensitive items.  Sensitive Track goods are placed in one of 
two boxes: the "sensitive list" or the "highly sensitive 
list."  Korea and ASEAN 6 countries must reduce tariffs on 
items in the sensitive list to (note: not "by") 20 percent 
by 2012, and to 0-5 percent by 2016.  The CLMV countries 
have longer staging periods of 2016 and 2020, respectively. 
 
7. (SBU) The highly sensitive list contains five boxes: 
 
 
SEOUL 00001981  002 OF 004 
 
 
-- Box A: Tariffs cut to 50 percent by 2016 (Korea and ASEAN 
6) or 2024 (CLMV); 
 
-- Box B: Tariffs cut by 20 percent (same time periods); 
 
-- Box C: Tariffs cut by 50 percent; 
 
-- Box D: Goods receive a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ); 
 
-- Box E: Total exclusion. 
 
8. (SBU) There are three basic restrictions on placing items 
in the highly sensitive list.  First, each party may place a 
maximum of 200 items on this list.  Second, parties may 
place a maximum of 40 items in Box E (total exclusion). 
Third, none of the items placed on the highly sensitive list 
can account for more than three percent of the import volume 
(2004 baseline) for that item from the other party.  For 
example, if automobiles took up more than three percent of 
Indonesia's imports from Korea, Indonesia could not place 
autos on the highly sensitive list.  However, this factor is 
not dynamic, but rather fixed at 2004 levels, so even if 
import volume rises above the three percent threshold, the 
party would not have to subsequently liberalize tariffs for 
that item. 
 
9. (SBU) According to Kim, it is essentially left up to each 
party's discretion as to which items are placed on the 
various lists.  He did admit, however, that there was some 
negotiation designed to prevent a party from placing a given 
item on the highly sensitive list.  For example, while 
Malaysia has put automobiles on its total exclusion list, 
Korea convinced it to open up the CKD (automobile knockdown 
kit) market. 
 
AGRICULTURE 
----------- 
 
10. (SBU) All of the 200 goods that Korea placed on its 
highly sensitive list are agricultural or fisheries items. 
(ASEAN members included various industrial and chemical 
goods on their list.)  In addition to the 40 excluded items 
in Box E, Korea also placed five items whose tariff is less 
than 50 percent in Box A (tariff reduced to 50 percent), 
thus providing those goods with a de facto exclusion. 
According to Kim, Korea originally intended to place many 
more such items in Box A, but the ASEAN members strenuously 
objected to Korea using Box A as a de facto exclusion list, 
and they succeeded in forcing Korea to limit such items to 
five. 
 
11. (SBU) Nevertheless, Korea will have to open up its 
agriculture markets more under this FTA than under its 
previous agreements.  Kim said that Korea has 445 tariff 
lines (HS six digit) for agricultural and fisheries 
products.  Since "only" 200 can be placed on the highly 
sensitive list and "only" 45 completely excluded, over half 
of the agricultural/fisheries tariff lines will have to be 
opened to some extent. 
 
KAESONG INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX 
-------------------------- 
 
12. (SBU) According to Kim, Korea had to negotiate very hard 
to wring any concessions on goods processed in the KIC out 
of the ASEAN members.  Unlike Korea's previous FTA partners 
with which it negotiated preferential treatment for goods 
processed in Kaesong -- Singapore and EFTA -- ASEAN had 
economic interests opposed to granting preferential 
treatment, as Kaesong presents direct competition for the 
low-wage, light industrial goods that form ASEAN members' 
competitive advantage. 
 
13. (SBU) Kim said the final deal on Kaesong was not reached 
until the May 16 Korea-ASEAN trade ministers' meeting, where 
Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong reportedly made a 
forceful intervention on behalf of the Kaesong provisions 
with his counterparts. 
 
14. (SBU) The resulting compromise was that the same 
"outward processing" language that Korea used in the EFTA 
FTA to secure preferential treatment for Kaesong goods, 
which uses a content requirement of at least 60 percent 
South Korean content for an "outward processed" good to be 
considered originating, was also included in the Korea-ASEAN 
 
SEOUL 00001981  003 OF 004 
 
 
TIG Agreement.  However, an additional hurdle was placed on 
Kaesong-processed goods.  Korea provided ASEAN with a list 
of 232 goods that are currently being processed in Kaesong, 
or will be by the end of 2006.  From this list, each ASEAN 
member separately will choose 100 of these to which it will 
grant preferential treatment. 
 
15. (SBU) Additionally, the ASEAN members will develop a 
common list of approved Kaesong items, notionally by the end 
of August.  After that, there will be 10 individual Kaesong 
lists plus one common list.  For each individual ASEAN 
member then, the number of Kaesong goods to which it 
individually accords preferential treatment will equal 100 - 
- whichever goods are on the common ASEAN list, plus 
additional goods it selects so that the total comes up to 
100. 
 
16. (SBU) In addition to the numerical limitation of 
approved Kaesong items, the agreement also provides ASEAN 
members the right to review the situation at any time and 
elect to stop providing preferential treatment to Kaesong. 
ASEAN members also enjoy a special safeguard provision for 
Kaesong goods that is not subject to dispute settlement and 
can by used virtually unconditionally. 
 
THAILAND OPTS OUT 
----------------- 
 
17. (SBU) Thailand opted out of the TIG Agreement.  While 
the Thai delegation cited political confusion in Bangkok as 
the reason for being unable to sign at the May 16 trade 
ministers meeting, the real underlying reason was Thailand's 
unwillingness to accept Korea's exclusion of rice, 
Thailand's chief export. 
 
18. (SBU) According to Kim, Thailand can join the TIG at any 
time in the future, and Thailand is still a part of the 
remaining FTA negotiations on services and investment. 
However, he noted that Thailand would essentially have to 
join the TIG on a "take it or leave it" basis, which would 
put Thailand at a disadvantage.  Kim said that Korea does 
plan to try to entice Thailand to sign the TIG by sweetening 
its offers in the service negotiations, but Kim left no room 
for the possibility of giving Thailand any concessions on 
rice, including by increasing the Thai country specific 
quota under Korea's 2004 rice agreement with the WTO. 
 
SERVICES AND INVESTMENT 
----------------------- 
 
19. (SBU) With the TIG Agreement finalized, Agreements on 
Services and Investment remain to be completed to finish the 
Korea-ASEAN FTA "package."  Each agreement is considered a 
stand-alone agreement, however. 
 
20. (SBU) Negotiations on services and investment are 
ongoing, with a target completion date of the end of 2006. 
Kim admitted that Korea's "ambition is not so high" in the 
services and investment areas, where Seoul is pursuing a 
basic WTO-plus agreement -- with the "plus" being relatively 
minor.  The negotiating parties are using each other's 
revised GATS offers as the basis for services concessions. 
The Korea-ASEAN Investment Agreement is being modeled on the 
ASEAN Investment Agreements (AIA's) the ASEAN members have 
concluded amongst themselves. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
21. (SBU) The Korea-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, while 
not nearly as comprehensive as a U.S.-style FTA, represents 
a fruitful conclusion to a complicated, multi-party 
negotiation, and probably helped to increase Korea's 
negotiating experience and prowess.  The agreement also has 
economic significance, providing for substantially opened 
trade between Korea and its fourth-largest trading partner 
(counting ASEAN as a single entity). 
 
22. (SBU) The agreement is expected to be uncontroversial in 
Korea, and should easily pass the National Assembly in time 
for entry into force by August.  This is despite the fact 
that it will open Korea's agricultural markets more than 
Seoul's previous FTAs.  In this regard, Korea's ASEAN 
negotiation team is benefiting from the fact that the Korea- 
ASEAN FTA is being almost completely drowned out, both in 
 
SEOUL 00001981  004 OF 004 
 
 
terms of media interest and interest group attention, by the 
U.S.-Korea FTA negotiations. 
 
VERSHBOW