S. Korea OKs Wider Door for U.S. Computers

The government agreed today under pressure from the United States to open its market wider to foreign computers and to ease regulations discouraging imports of candy and auto parts.

South Korean officials said the decision was made during meetings today and Monday between U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige and Trade and Industry Minister Rah Woong Bae.

Baldrige told a news conference before leaving today for Beijing that his talks with Rha were “valuable.”

South Korea agreed to ease restrictions on importing computers with fewer than 32 bits of processing capacity and peripherals such as video display terminals as of July 1, one year ahead of schedule, the Trade and Industry Ministry said. South Korea had been opposed to advancing the timetable.

The immediate impact of the action was difficult to measure. South Korea produced an estimated $520 million worth of computers and peripherals in 1985, the last year for which figures are available.

South Korea’s agreement to open its markets comes at a time when the United States is engaged in one of its most serious trade disputes in recent years with Japan.

Washington last week imposed $300 million worth of tariffs on selected Japanese products in retaliation for alleged Japanese violation of an agreement on trade in computer chips.

Baldrige said at the news conference that U.S. trade complaints against Japan and South Korea are not identical.

He said that there “are a great deal of differences” between the two countries and that U.S. negotiations with South Korea were “friendly and reasonable . . . ending up with something good.”

South Korea agreed to cut in half, to 12 days, the customs deadline for inspecting imported chocolates and other candies in order to facilitate speedy clearance.

It also agreed to reduce the categories of imported auto parts requiring a good quality rating from the Seoul government from 12 to 2.