Malaysia on Monday expressed support for South Korea's bid to join a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region, Seoul's trade ministry said.

South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks on Thursday discussed ways of cooperation on joining a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region and supply chains, Seoul's trade ministry said.

Brunei on Thursday expressed support for South Korea's push to join a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region, Seoul's trade ministry said.

South Korea's envisioned joining of a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region could boost its real gross domestic product (GDP) up to 0.35 percent, but it could cause substantial damage to the agricultural and fisheries sector, the industry ministry said Friday.

Minister for Trade of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Yeo Han-koo has suggested Vietnam support the RoK in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Local tuna exports reported a spike during the initial months of the year due to tuna exporters taking full advantage of opportunities from new trade agreements such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Domestic enterprises need to increase their initiative in seizing incentives in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to optimise the deal, experts said.

China’s chances of joining one of the world’s largest free trade areas could be hurt by its refusal to engage Australia on a ministerial level, Canberra’s top trade official said on Monday.

The initial three years of enforcing the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement has been a challenging period for the global economy and trade, although Vietnamese exports to this market continued to see positive growth.

Trade relations between Vietnam and Mexico have been developing positively in recent times, with a trade surplus of more than US$4 billion produced by Vietnam.