S Korea, China to hold 6th FTA talks in Busan

SEOUL - South Korea and China will hold the sixth round of talks for a bilateral free trade deal early next month, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday.

The new round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Seoul and Beijing will be held for three days through July 4 at South Korea's largest port city of Busan, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The ministry said the upcoming round of talks were planned to come up with a draft on modality of each area, which would reflect stances of both sides, noting that it will make efforts to reach an agreement on drafts in possible areas.

The formal negotiations for Sino-South Korea FTA were launched in May 2012, with the fifth round of talks held in Harbin, China, in April. Seoul and Beijing are also seeking a trilateral free trade deal, including Japan.