Seoul and Tokyo have expressed different views over when to abolish tariffs at recent minister-level discussions on a bilateral free trade agreement.

Trade Minister Hwang Doo-yun met with his Japanese counterpart Shoichi Nakagawa in Seoul Sunday in preliminary talks to negotiate the FTA. Hwang asked Japan to eliminate duties on more items than South Korea does in early stages of the treaty, citing trade balance heavily in favor of Japan.

Nakagawa refused to accept the demand, citing South Korea