Obama signs FTAs with S. Korea, Colombia, Panama

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, completing a long-delayed process in Washington to put the accord, expected to help create jobs, into effect.

The FTA still requires ratification by South Korea's National Assembly, embroiled in a partisan strife over the issue.

In a scaled-down ceremony, Obama also signed FTAs with Colombia and Panama, along with a bill on extending the Trade Adjustment Authority (TAA) worker-aid program.

Congress approved the three free trade pacts and the TAA measure last week during South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's trip to Washington.

Obama initially planned to sign the bills at a public ceremony in the Rose Garden and make some comments. But he canceled it on Thursday after issuing a televised speech at the Rose Garden on the death of Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

He instead signed them at the Oval Office, followed by a Rose Garden reception attended by dozens of South Korean and U.S. officials and lawmakers.

White House officials cited a "busy day" as a reason for the change.

(Yonhap News)