Clark pushes South Koreans for end to 'unfair' tariffs

By HELEN TUNNAH

SEOUL - Prime Minister Helen Clark has delivered a strong message to South Korea that New Zealand wants an end to "unfair" tariffs which punish innovative producers.

Clark pressed New Zealand's wish for a free-trade deal in talks with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in Seoul, describing such a pact as a "win-win" for both nations.

Trade with South Korea is worth $1.3 billion a year to New Zealand.

"We've had our hand up for years to say 'Korea, it would be a win-win arrangement with New Zealand if you would like to talk open trade with us'.

"We are going to keep pursuing that," she told a business breakfast in Seoul.

She said in areas such as forestry, where processed wood products attract high tariffs, New Zealand had hit a wall in its attempts to increase open market access.

Both South Korea and New Zealand completed studies on reducing trade barriers some years ago, but the Koreans have never publicly released the findings of their report.

Clark said as New Zealand strived to be innovative, if producers hit "quite unfair" tariffs it made it tough to operate.