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영어

This paper examines the Sino-Korean FTA from security considerations and legal implications
perspectives.
Despite different and sometime conflicting security considerations and arguments, the Sino-Korean
FTA is beneficial for both China and Korea; no matter we see the issue from an economic
perspective or a political perspective. However, a delicate balance has to be achieved by the two
countries in the FTA to ensure reasonable protection to their national interests.
Since China and Korea may have different priorities in terms of their security considerations for
the making of a FTA, Contemporary political goals pursued by the Chinese Government at a
particular point of time in the forthcoming years, and the attitude of the forthcoming new Korean
Government to international politics will be crucial for determining how soon the Sino-Korean FTA
may be reached. The value judgment so held by each country will in turn affect its policy and
position concerning the substance and time frame for the making of the FTA in question. The future
direction of the FTA negotiations will depend largely on the political wills of the two governments
concerned, which will no doubt invoke security considerations from time to time to suit their best
interests in the negotiation process as part of their strategies for negotiations.
Model of FTA is an issue which must be considered by China and Korea for the making of
FTA. The Sino-Korean FTA will be a treaty between two sovereign states, and will likely follow the
formality as seen in the Sino-Chilean or Sino-Pakistani FTA. While the recently completed KOR US
FTA offers a useful reference for China and Korea to negotiate their FTA.
Three sensitive issues deserve special attention in the Sino-Korean FTA negotiation, which are
protection of Korea’s agricultural market, the existing trade deficit suffered by China, and the dispute
settlement mechanism for the Sino-Korean FTA.
For mutual benefits of the two countries, the two governments have to be very careful and
sensitive in dealing with the issue of FTA, which is meaningful not only economically but also
politically to both China and Korea. By the end common sense will prevail and a mutually beneficial
FTA will be signed between the two countries.