Lee orders renewed discussions on possible membership to CPTPP

President Lee Jae Myung instructed the government Tuesday at Cheong Wa Dae to restart discussions on whether South Korea should join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). He called for conversations with farmers and fishermen to begin from scratch without rushing toward a fixed conclusion. The 12-member trade pact could raise South Korea’s GDP by 0.38 percentage point over 10 years and manufacturing production by up to 6.7 trillion won annually, while reducing agricultural and fisheries production by about 850 billion won per year.

The CPTPP includes 12 countries, including Japan, Mexico, Australia, Canada and Vietnam, whose combined economies accounted for about 15.2 percent of global trade in 2019.

President Lee gave the instruction during the closed-door portion of a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.

A government projection estimates that manufacturing production could increase by up to 6.7 trillion won ($4.99 billion) annually for 15 years after membership.

The same projection estimates annual production declines of approximately 850 billion won in the agricultural and fisheries sectors.

Published Oct 6, 2026 5:08 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung instructed the government Tuesday to start over discussions on whether South Korea should join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) amid opposition from farmers and fishermen.

Lee gave the order during the closed-door portion of a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, referring to the major Indo-Pacific trade agreement comprising 12 countries, including Japan, Mexico, Australia, Canada and Vietnam. Together, the member countries accounted for about 15.2 percent of global trade in 2019.

"President Lee said there are opinions that the CPTPP's strategic value is important at a time of profound change in the international trade order, as well as opinions that the farming and fishing industries have great concerns," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

"He stressed that policies should be pursued by calculating the national interest based on trust and shared understanding among farmers and fishermen, and ordered starting over conversations from scratch without rushing toward a fixed conclusion," she said.

According to a government projection released last month, the country's gross domestic product is estimated to grow by 0.38 percentage point over 10 years following its potential entry into the CPTPP, while production in the manufacturing sector is expected to increase by up to 6.7 trillion won ($4.99 billion) per year for 15 years following its membership.

Production in the agricultural and fisheries sectors, however, is projected to decline by approximately 850 billion won annually.

韩国总统李在明周二在青瓦台指示政府重启关于韩国是否应加入《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》（CPTPP）的讨论。他呼吁与农民和渔民从头开始对话，不要急于达成既定结论。这项由12个成员国组成的贸易协定可能在未来10年内使韩国GDP增长0.38个百分点，制造业产值每年增加高达6.7万亿韩元，但同时也会使农业和渔业产值每年减少约8500亿韩元。

CPTPP包括日本、墨西哥、澳大利亚、加拿大和越南等12个国家，这些国家的经济总量在2019年约占全球贸易的15.2%。

李总统在青瓦台举行的闭门内阁会议上下达了这一指示。

政府预测，加入该组织后，制造业产量每年可增加高达 6.7 万亿韩元（49.9 亿美元），持续 15 年。

同样的预测估计，农业和渔业部门的年产量将减少约 8500 亿韩元。

发布于2026年10月6日下午5:08（韩国标准时间）

周二，李在明总统在青瓦台主持内阁会议并发表讲话。（韩联社）

周二，李在明总统指示政府重新开始讨论韩国是否应该加入《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》（CPTPP），此前韩国农民和渔民对此表示反对。

李显龙总理在青瓦台举行的闭门内阁会议上下达了这项命令，他指的是涵盖日本、墨西哥、澳大利亚、加拿大和越南等12个国家的主要印太贸易协定。2019年，这些成员国的贸易总额约占全球贸易总额的15.2%。

总统发言人康裕贞在一份书面简报中表示：“李总统表示，有人认为在国际贸易秩序发生深刻变化之际，《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》（CPTPP）的战略价值非常重要，也有人认为农业和渔业对此深感担忧。”

“他强调，制定政策时应以农民和渔民之间的信任和共识为基础，权衡国家利益，并下令从头开始重新讨论，不要急于得出既定结论，”她说。

根据上个月公布的政府预测，该国加入CPTPP后，未来10年国内生产总值预计将增长0.38个百分点，而未来15年制造业产值预计将每年增长高达6.7万亿韩元（49.9亿美元）。

然而，预计农业和渔业部门的产量每年将减少约 8500 亿韩元。