The South Korean government will decide the launching date for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) next Tuesday, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday.

Government ministers related to external economic policy will meet together to discuss the issue, Yonhap said.

The first round of the South Korean- E.U. FTA talks is expected to take place on May 7-11 in Seoul, Yonhap said.

South Korean exports to the EU, the country's second-largest export destination after China, totaled 49.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2006.

South Korea has signed FTAs with Chile and Singapore. It is pushing free trade deals with Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.