The United States, at the end of a week of free trade talks on Friday, said South Korea's latest offer to open its heavily protected agricultural market did not go far enough, Reuters reported. But chief U.S. negotiator Wendy Cutler said the talks were not faltering and that the discussions this week had paved the way for closing differences over trade in farm goods, automobiles, textiles and pharmaceuticals in future rounds. South Korea's chief negotiator, Kim Jong-hoon, said the two sides remained far apart on agriculture and textile market opening. Kim also said the large imbalance in auto trade between the two countries showed South Korean cars were competitive in the United States and that he has resisted demands for a change in what Washington sees as a discriminatory tax system.
