Pakistan has joined the list of countries that will open bilateral talks with Seoul on the liberalization of South Korea's rice market.

Pakistan, the world's 13th largest rice producer, is the ninth country to inform Seoul of its willingness to engage in such talks.

South Korea had notified the World Trade Organization in June of its decision to hold one-on-one talks with interested parties.

Australia, Argentina, Thailand, China, the United States, Egypt, Canada, India and now Pakistan have responded to South Korea's invitation for the talks, slated to begin from May.

Seoul is hoping to extend a 10-year grace period on opening up to rice imports that was granted under the 1994 Urguay Round of world trade talks. South Korea needs to renegotiate the special treatment for its market in bilateral talks with rice exporters before the grace period expires at the end of this year.