SEOUL, Feb 26: South Korea and the US will hold talks next week on two major obstacles to their planned free trade agreement (FTA) as the deadline for a deal draws closer, officials said Monday.

Negotiators meeting in Washington will try to settle disputes on agricultural imports and on Seoul's recent ban on US beef shipments. US Senators say the beef row must be resolved before a full FTA can be approved.

The agriculture ministry said the discussions on farm imports will be held on Monday and the beef talks on Tuesday, just two days before the next round of full-fledged FTA negotiations begins in Seoul.The negotiations began in June last year and must end next month.

South Korea faces opposition to a free trade deal from an influential farmers' lobby and wants to exclude sensitive goods that could seriously hurt local growers. The US says there should be no exceptions.

South Korea, once the third-largest market for US beef, last year lifted a three-year ban imposed to keep out mad-cow disease and agreed to accept boneless shipments.

But quarantine inspectors blocked all three shipments, totalling 22 tons which were sent since then after finding tiny bone fragments in them.

The US side says Seoul is using the fragments as a pretext to exclude its beef and to protect local farmers.

The two sides also disagree on anti-dumping remedies and Seoul's tariff and non-tariff barriers in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors.But Finance and Economy Minister Kwon O-Kyu said on Monday the previous seven rounds of full talks had laid "a firm base" for final agreement.

"The government intends to concentrate its efforts on signing the FTA with the US soon, as well as boosting public awareness on the agreement and drawing up a plan to protect local businesses from being hurt by the agreement," Yonhap news agency quoted him as telling a forum.

The eighth round will be held from March 8-12 in Seoul. Seoul's trade officials hinted that a ninth round may be scheduled later in March to seal the deal, Yonhap said.

The two sides must reach a deal by the end of March. US negotiators have to submit the deal to Congress by April 2 to allow time for a 90-day review before President George W. Bush's "fast-track" trade promotion authority expires on July 1.—AFP