./.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/W/170
16 April 1999
(99-1528)
General Council Original:  English
PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1999 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE
Agriculture
Communication from Korea
The following communication, dated 12 April 1999, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Korea.
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Background
Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture provides that the next negotiations shall take into
account several factors, including inter alia  the experience of implementing the commitments for
reducing support and protection, the effects of reduction commitments on world trade, non-trade
concerns and special and differential treatment to developing countries.
Despite considerable domestic difficulties, Korea has faithfully implemented its commitments
under the Agreement on Agriculture. Based on its experience and from the perspective of a net food-
importing country with unfavourable agricultural conditions, Korea makes the following suggestionswith regard to the next negotiations on agriculture.
Suggestions
1. The basic framework of the Agreement on Agri culture should be maintained so that the
reform process can move forward in a consistent manner.
The goal of the next round of negotiations as defined in Article 20 of the Agreement on
Agriculture is to continue with the reform proces s. In order to carry out the reforms on a consistent
basis Members must refrain from bringing radical ch anges to the Agreement and seek to maintain its
key elements. The following elements are particularly important to Korea:
- Market access:  the key elements of tariffication mechanism such as tariff
equivalents, tariff quotas, and special safeguards.
- Domestic support:  the underlying spirit of establishing amber, green and blue boxes
and their integral elements such as total AMS, relevant criteria and de minimis  level.WT/GC/W/170
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2. In pursuing the reforms, a flexible and gradual approach should be taken to ensure the
participation of all countries.
The Agreement on Agriculture introduced a set of disciplines into agricultural trade.  As the
disciplines did not fully reflect the unique nature of agriculture, especially the diverse conditions for
agriculture, some Members had considerable difficulties in implementing their commitments underthe Agreement.  Ensuring the participation of all Members is essential to a viable reform process.
Members must take a flexible and gradual approach that can accommodate the special nature of
agriculture, keeping in mind the need to pursue the reforms in a consistent way.
In Korea’s view, the following areas particularly call for a more flexible and gradual
approach:
- Market access:  tariff reductions and TRQ administration.
- Domestic support:  reductions in total AMS and criteria for green box measures.
3. In order to achieve a balance of interests among Members, provisions on non-trade
concerns and special and differential treatm ent to developing countries should be
strengthened.
The Agreement on Agriculture does not fully take into account the non-trade concerns and the
special requirements of small-scale subsistence agriculture.  As a result, it has failed to achieve a
balance of interests between exporting and importing countries and between the developed anddeveloping countries. The balance is tipped against developing countries and importing countries,
which is highly undesirable.  Sound reforms cannot continue at the expense of a particular group of
countries.
Korea makes the following suggestions to alleviate the difficulties of the developing countries
and importing countries:
- Non-trade concerns, especially the multifunctionality of agriculture and food security
should be fully taken into account in continuing the reform process.
- Ways to make the provisions on special and differential treatment of developing
countries more operational should be devised.  In particular, more attention should begiven to the important role that governments can play in achieving this goal.
- Disciplines against arbitrary export restrictions should be developed.
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