Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo to share food security info

Published : Apr 15, 2012 - 20:06 Updated : Apr 15, 2012 - 20:06

Korean Agriculture Minister Suh Kyu-yong (center) joins hands with his Chinese and Japanese counterparts before starting talks in Jeju on Sunday. At right is Japan’s Farm Minister Michihiko Kano and at left is China’s Agriculture Minister Han Changfu. (Yonhap News)

South Korea, China and Japan agreed Sunday to share information on food security and to enhance their trade of agricultural products.

The agreement was made at a trilateral meeting on the southern resort island of Jeju attended by agriculture ministers of the three neighboring Northeast Asia countries, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a statement.

Agriculture Minister Suh Kyu-yong and his Chinese and Japanese counterparts agreed to conduct joint studies of agricultural projects and to exchange experts on agriculture.

They also agreed to establish a system of rice storage in case of emergency and a platform for food security.

The ministers plan to further discuss how to set up a joint office to tackle possible outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.

Suh, meanwhile, asked China to help prevent its fishing vessels operating illegally in South Korean waters.

The South Korean minister also asked Japan to lift restrictions on imports of South Korean poultry. The ministers will meet again in Japan next year.

(Yonhap News)