Korea and Britain have signed an upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) aimed at easing rules of origin for Korean automobiles and consumer goods, as well as opening up the latter's high-speed rail and online game markets, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday. The deal was jointly signed by Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his British counterpart, Chris Bryant, during their bilateral meeting in London, following two-year negotiations between the two countries. The original FTA between Seoul and London was signed in 2019 and implemented in 2021. Under the renewed deal, Britain decided to ease rules of origin for automobiles, beauty and food products exported by Korea, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Currently, Korean carmakers are eligible for tariff-free treatment only if they prove that at least 55 percent of a vehicle's value, including parts and materials, was generated within Korea. But the revised agreement will lower the requirement for tariff exemption to 25 percent, making it easier for automakers to qualify for preferential treatment. Automobiles are o