<Anchor>

Kwon Ae-ri's friendly economy starts. Reporter Kwon, Farmers have been protesting recently, saying that Korea should not lose its status as a developing country.

<Reporter>

Yes. We don't really want to give up the status of an open country. We'll feel right now if we declare developed countries, but it's not always good in Syllie.

It was until the 23rd of yesterday that a kind of deadline was offered to us, this time completely giving up developing country status.

In principle, the world considers free trade desirable. In addition, the WTO, the World Trade Organization, is an international organization that all countries have prepared together to ensure fair competition.

So, if we have a problem recently, such as a trade conflict between Korea and Japan, we are running to Japan or to the WTO. It's important to see who raises the hand in the WTO.

But is it really fair and free trade that poor countries and the United States trade on the same terms because of free trade?

America is overwhelmingly advantageous in every way. Because they don't see it, the countries that live less well on the WTO have some benefits.

For example, a poor country A may pay a lot of taxes on bananas bought outside for a while, giving them the opportunity to grow banana farms in country A, like this.

As we have grown into the world's 12 largest trading nations, we have given up on these benefits in other ways.

But it remained in only one field. We have maintained our status as a developing country that does not give up the benefits of agriculture and agricultural trade.

<Anchor>

Trump has been asking for abandonment of open country status in agriculture?

<Reporter>

Yes. On July 26th, he pointed out some countries including Korea, saying, "These countries unfairly act as developing countries in the WTO. "He said.

That 90 days passed yesterday. Trump has four non-developing countries.

We are all four of those countries that are members of the OECD, the G20 members of the world's top 20 countries, and the World Bank classified as high-income countries, with more than 0.5% of global trade.

In fact, our country is a developing country all over the world. But to protect agriculture, we won't receive any other benefits, so the WTO has maintained its position.

So we were able to pay tariffs of hundreds of percent on imported agricultural products that our farmers had to compete with, and they were able to subsidize agriculture.

<Anchor>

But in the case of rice farming, there are also subsidies and the problem is very complicated. The current government may want to give up the status of developing countries. Are you in this position?

<Reporter>

Yes. It seems that decision will be made, and as early as this decision will be until tomorrow. Given our overall interests, if we don't give up this time, the United States can give us a chance to take adverse actions elsewhere.

As our trade negotiating director interviewed trade officials in the US yesterday, the conditions of Korean agriculture are not easy.

We give up the status of developing countries, and we do not give up agricultural subsidies or tariffs right now. You can keep it until the next WTO negotiations involving agriculture.

But once you give up developing country status, it won't be the next one. There is no WTO agricultural negotiations in place right now, but President Trump considers it important for agricultural fields and for US farmers.

So even in the trade war with China, China keeps negotiating cards in the US to "live beans, live a lot."

It was unforeseeable that President Trump would give up some of the developing countries' status and give up, but I'm not sure how to take the next step.

You can ask for something like a bilateral agreement. As Anchor once said, we are very worried and repulsive about our farmers.

But it is also true that it is difficult to reject the US demand now in the whole country.

Giving up the status of developing countries in agriculture is hard to avoid, but it is compelling to say that we have to find and implement ground-breaking policy shifts that can help us to cope with this situation while saving our agriculture.