S.Korea, China Narrow Differences in 6th FTA Talks

%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3ESouth%20Korean%20and%20China%20narrowed%20differences%20in%20many%20areas%20at%20the%20sixth%20round%20of%20talks%20for%20the%20free%20trade%20agreement%20%28FTA%29%2C%20the%20South%20Korean%20trade%20ministry%20said%20Thursday.%20%22In%20the%20goods%20area%2C%20both%20sides%20came%20closer%20to%20agreement%20in%20most%20modalities%20%28basic%20guidelines%29%2C%20including%20the%20level%20of%20liberalization%2C%22%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Trade%2C%20Industry%20and%20Energy%20%28MOTIE%29%20said%20in%20a%20statement.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20two%20sides%20also%20narrowed%20different%20views%20over%20services%2C%20investment%2C%20rules%20of%20origins%2C%20customs%20clearance%2C%20trade%20remedy%20and%20intellectual%20property%20rights%2C%20the%20ministry%20said%2C%20noting%20that%20those%20cited%20areas%20reached%20or%20neared%20to%20an%20agreement%20at%20the%20modality%20draft.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3ESouth%20Korea%20and%20China%20held%20the%20sixth%20round%20of%20FTA%20talks%20for%20three%20days%20through%20Thursday%20at%20South%20Korea%27s%20largest%20port%20city%20of%20Busan.%20The%207th%20round%20will%20be%20held%20in%20China%2C%20the%20ministry%20said%2C%20adding%20that%20detailed%20schedules%20will%20be%20unveiled%20after%20further%20consultations%20with%20China.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EMinister%20of%20Trade%2C%20Industry%20and%20Energy%20Yoon%20Sang-jick%20said%20Monday%20that%20the%20first-stage%20talks%20for%20Sino-South%20Korea%20FTA%20could%20be%20finalized%20in%20September%20when%20the%20next%20round%20of%20negotiation%20is%20estimated%20to%20be%20held.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EHis%20comments%20came%20after%20Chinese%20President%20Xi%20Jinping%20and%20South%20Korean%20President%20Park%20Geun-hye%20agreed%20at%20the%20summit%20to%20push%20for%20the%20completion%20of%20the%20bilateral%20FTA.%20The%20two%20leaders%20reconfirmed%20the%20goal%20of%20reaching%20a%20high-level%20and%20comprehensive%20free%20trade%20pact.%20To%20push%20for%20the%20comprehensive%20deal%2C%20both%20sides%20agreed%20to%20widen%20areas%20subject%20to%20negotiations%20to%20competition%2C%20transparency%2C%20sanitary%20and%20phytosanitary%20%28SPS%29%2C%20technical%20barriers%20to%20trade%20%28TBT%29%20%2C%20e-commerce%2C%20environment%20and%20economic%20cooperation.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20formal%20negotiations%20for%20Sino-South%20Korea%20FTA%20were%20launched%20in%20May%202010.%20Seoul%20and%20Beijing%20are%20also%20seeking%20a%20trilateral%20free%20trade%20deal%2C%20including%20Japan.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3E%3CBR%3E%28CRI%20English%29%3CBR%3E%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E