Farmers in South Korea's 'apple county' fear stiff competition from cheaper U.S. apples. That's if Seoul makes concessions on U.S. agricultural goods as part of a deal to ease U.S. tariffs on cars, steel, and other imports.

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Donald Trump has signed an order to impose tariffs imports into the U.S. from countries including China, Mexico and Canada.

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South Korean apple farmers in Cheongsong, a region known for its high-quality apples, are voicing concerns about being adversely affected by ongoing trade negotiations between South Korea and the United States. As the U.S. has imposed tariffs on key South Korean exports, Seoul's trade minister has suggested that concessions on agricultural imports, including apples, could be part of a deal to ease these tariffs.

Farmers argue that they cannot compete with the lower prices of U.S. apples and that their livelihoods are already under strain from challenges such as climate change, an aging population, and wildfires. Local officials and farmers warn that opening the market further to U.S. agricultural products could threaten the future of rural communities. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to push for greater market access, citing long-standing barriers to American apple imports.

South Korean apple farmers beg not to be U.S. trade deal sacrifice

South Korean farmer Shim Chung-taek in the country's Apple County fears he's being sacrificed to appease the U.S. and support the country's manufacturing sector. He's been growing apples for decades in Cheongsong, in the country's southeast, where apples are renowned for their flavor and are often given out in gift boxes during national holidays. But as Washington placed punishing tariffs on cars, steel and other key exports, South Korea's trade minister last week suggested Seoul could, as part of a deal to ease or remove tariffs, make concessions on some agricultural imports. For Shim and other apple farmers, who account for about a third of the roughly 14,000 households in the sleepy rural area, they worry their way of life is under threat. U.S. apples are very cheap. We can't compete with them. It's like putting a university student in a fight against an elementary school student. There's no way to win. Shim also says it's impossible to find alternative crops to grow in the mountainous area. Apple farmers already face a host of other problems, from climate change to an aging population and wildfires, which have led to rising costs, smaller harvests and higher prices. Any opening up of the sector would increase pressure on them. Mayor of Cheongsong County, Yung Kong-yi, says it's unreasonable for South Korea's agricultural sector to be sacrificed for the U.S. trade deal. If we surrender to the overwhelming pressure of agricultural imports from a vast and powerful country like the United States, who in Korea would still be willing to work in agriculture? Farming is not just an industry, it's a lifeline. Korean apples have grown and thrived until now, so to suddenly import them under some external pressure seems highly unreasonable to me. South Korea has taken steps to open its market. It's now the top buyer of U.S. beef and the sixth biggest destination for U.S. agricultural exports overall. Still Washington has complained about persistent non-tariff barriers. U.S. market access requests for apples, made in 1993, are still being reviewed by South Korea's quarantine agency more than 30 years after they were filed. It sparked calls by Washington to speed up the approval process for a range of fruits and potatoes. Choi Seok-yong, a senior advisor at a law firm, was a former chief negotiator for the Korea-U.S. free trade deal. He says it was hard to view the delayed quarantine process as, quote, rational based on science and international norms. At the same time, while protecting agriculture does shield farmers, it also means ordinary consumers don't get to enjoy cheaper foreign agricultural products. Agriculture has emerged as one of the sticking points in U.S. trade talks with South Korea and Japan. Tariff talks have already sparked protests from farmers' groups, with more to come, and with much at stake for farmers like Shim. This is an agricultural war. It's like Trump saying, let's go to war over agriculture. We have the power, so open up your market to our farm products. Who's going to die? It's us.

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South Korean apple farmers beg not to be U.S. trade deal sacrifice

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