Lee vows to reflect farmers' voices in decision on CPTPP membership

President Lee Jae Myung pledged on Wednesday to consider the viewpoints of farmers when determining whether to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In a post on X, the former Twitter, he emphasized his commitment to taking farmers' interests into consideration as the government decides on joining the Indo-Pacific trade bloc.

Lee highlighted that the government would strive to accurately represent the concerns of farmers, particularly on matters like farmland reform and CPTPP, in order to benefit the agricultural sector. While acknowledging that Korea's entry into the CPTPP is unavoidable, the president has previously emphasized the importance of finding complementary measures to implement if membership is pursued.

Although CPTPP membership is anticipated to enhance Korea's overall exports, the agricultural and fisheries sectors may suffer due to market opening and the influx of cheaper imported products. In response, Lee has directed the government not to apply for CPTPP membership this year, stressing the necessity for sufficient preparation.