South Korea’s CPTPP gambit aims to diversify ties but risks farmer backlash



Analysis South Korea’s CPTPP gambit aims to diversify ties but risks farmer backlash Joining trade pact faces Japan veto and domestic opposition, despite promising supply chain integration, Mexico access John LeeSeptember 4, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON ROK President Lee Jae-myung (Aug. 25, 2025) and cargo ships at sea (Feb. 16, 2020) \| Image: ROK Presidential Office, Pexels, edited by Korea Pro South Korea on Wednesday signaled its intent to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a 12 member state multilateral trade pact that could help the country diversify its trade ties at a moment of heightened global economic uncertainty. The announcement at an economic ministerial meeting came a day after Seoul signed a Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA) with Ecuador, another move that highlighted the Lee Jae-myung administration’s efforts to offset U.S. tariff shocks. But joining the CPTPP will likely face stiff domestic resistance from South Korean farmers who have long enjoyed market protections © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01South Korea’s missile defense push raises new questions over wartime stocks 02South Korea bank hacks expose weak links beyond core financial systems 03Lee-Zelensky feud exposes South Korea’s widening Ukraine policy dilemma 04Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 05Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls 06North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy 07South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus 08AI storage boom gives South Korea battery makers an EV overcapacity lifeline

Analysis

South Korea’s CPTPP gambit aims to diversify ties but risks farmer backlash

Joining trade pact faces Japan veto and domestic opposition, despite promising supply chain integration, Mexico access

John LeeSeptember 4, 2025

South Korea’s CPTPP gambit aims to diversify ties but risks farmer backlash

ROK President Lee Jae-myung (Aug. 25, 2025) and cargo ships at sea (Feb. 16, 2020) | Image: ROK Presidential Office, Pexels, edited by Korea Pro

South Korea on Wednesday signaled its intent to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — a 12 member state multilateral trade pact that could help the country diversify its trade ties at a moment of heightened global economic uncertainty.

The announcement at an economic ministerial meeting came a day after Seoul signed a Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement (SECA) with Ecuador, another move that highlighted the Lee Jae-myung administration’s efforts to offset U.S. tariff shocks.

But joining the CPTPP will likely face stiff domestic resistance from South Korean farmers who have long enjoyed market protections

South Korea’s CPTPP gambit aims to diversify ties but risks farmer backlash

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John Lee