South Korean President orders fresh review of CPTPP membership amid farmer and fisherman concerns

President Lee Jae Myung directed the South Korean government to reopen negotiations on possible entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in a private cabinet session at Cheong Wa Dae. He pointed to the pact’s strategic value amid a changing global trade order while acknowledging strong resistance from the farming and fishing communities. Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Lee wants policies based on trust and shared understanding with those groups, urging a fresh start without a fixed conclusion.

Government projections released last month estimate CPTPP membership could lift GDP by 0.38 percentage points over ten years and increase manufacturing output by up to 6.7 trillion won annually for fifteen years, but would likely cut agricultural and fisheries production by about 850 billion won each year. The CPTPP currently comprises twelve Indo-Pacific economies that together accounted for roughly 15.2 percent of world trade in 2019. Lee’s order reflects a cautious balance between potential economic gains and sectoral concerns.