Parties urged to ratify FTA bill soon

GNP pledges to pass bill this month; DP keeps demanding renegotiation


The government and the ruling party are preparing to push ahead with the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement bill as early as within the month, despite backlash from opposition parties, as the U.S. Congress looks set to ratify its part of the deal.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday submitted the trade bill to Congress. As Republicans also pledged to cooperate, ratification is likely before the two countries’ summit next Friday.

The Korean parliament has so far dragged on the issue, claiming to have moved in step with the U.S.’s timeline.

“The U.S. Congress is expected to ratify the bill by next Friday at the earliest, or Oct. 21 at the latest,” said Kim Jong-hoon, chief FTA negotiator on Wednesday, during the parliamentary state inspection into the Foreign Ministry.

He also urged the Korean parliament to speed up the process to meet the target date, which is next January.

“The bill is a primary issue to be discussed in the committee’s general meeting, as soon as the state inspection is over,” said Rep. Nam Kyung-pil of the Grand National Party, who is chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.

The opposition camp, however, refused to ease its demand for a renegotiation.

“We should meet with the U.S. negotiators for a fundamental and final renegotiation,” said Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party.

The DP has been demanding that 12 clauses in the trade bill be revised, with 10 of them requiring changes in the agreement with the United States and two involving domestic laws.

Rep. Kang Ki-kab of the minority Democratic Labor Party also hinted at physical resistance, should the ruling party push ahead with the ratification.

However, observers predicted that parties will be reluctant to amplify conflicts ahead of the Oct. 26 by-elections for Seoul mayor.

“We will embrace the opposition camp’s demands as much as possible to avoid physical conflicts, as long as there will be no renegotiation,” said Rep. Nam.

The GNP is expected to lay the bill to the foreign affairs committee on Oct. 19 and then to the parliament’s plenary session at the end of the month.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)