"We think we are in the end game ... I think it will be very, very difficult for any country, including Korea, to join the ongoing negotiations if you just look at the timetable and the clock," Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler said during a forum in Washington, D.C. The forum was hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
In late November, Strategy and Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok said the country will explore the possibility of joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through bilateral preliminary negotiations with countries already taking part in the negotiations.
A total of 12 countries are currently involved in the TPP negotiations. They include Australia, Brunei, Japan, Canada, Vietnam, Chile, Mexico, Malaysia, Peru, New Zealand and Singapore.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com