Trade ministers of South Korea and China held a fresh round of marathon overnight negotiations in Beijing to forge a free trade deal, but they failed to narrow differences over sensitive agricultural and manufacturing issues, a Seoul delegate said Friday.
South Korean Trade Minister Yoon Sang-jick and his Chinese counterpart, Gao Hucheng, opened the 14th round of talks in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first time that the level of chief negotiators was upgraded to ministerial, representing a clear sign that both sides are working hard to bridge gaps.