hankyoreh

Oct. 13. (Photo by Kang Chang-kwang)

By Lee Tae-hee, Staff Writer　

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) has initiated procedures to pass a South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) ratification bill through the National Assembly. This move has reportedly been based on the impetus of the recent U.S. Congress’s ratification of the KORUS FTA. A hard journey is expected for the bill, however, based on the fact that the Democratic Party and other opposition parties regard the passing of the ratification bill as a question of identity that provides the key to a unified opposition.

The GNP’s official plan is to have the bill passed by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee (FATUC) by Oct. 18, then by the full assembly by Oct. 28. Internally, the party plans to pass the bill through its own standing committee by that time. The GNP’s plan is to create the appearance that the bill will be passed, even if late, either together with the opposition or with the opposition’s implicit consent. 　

“It’s not appropriate to move forward after deciding on a specific date,” said GNP floor leader Hwang Woo-yea in a telephone call with the Hankyoreh on Thursday. “Taking into consideration the National Assembly’s schedule, including the 2012 budget that it will be passing in November, we need our standing committee to pass the ratification bill at least by Oct. 26.”

To this end, the GNP has decided to pass a law on trade procedures through joint ruling party-opposition deliberations and meetings between ruling and opposition party floor leaders, and plans to then accept as many of the opposition parties’ demands for measures to limit damage to Korea’s agriculture and livestock sectors.

The GNP is also increasing pressure on opposition parties.

“Democratic Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu has said in May 2008 that the DP had to reflect seriously on its failure to pass the South Korea-U.S. FTA ratification bill,” said GNP Policy Committee Chairman Lee Ju-young during a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council on Thursday. “He must now go beyond party boundaries and approach the passing of the FTA ratification bill with the interests of the nation in mind.”

The DP, however, held an emergency meeting of its Supreme Council on Wednesday night, when news broke that Congress had passed the FTA law in the U.S. The DP decided to forge a working relationship with the Korean Alliance against the KorUS FTA (KoA). It urgently sent DP Supreme Council member Chung Dong-young, a hardline opponent of the FTA, and other lawmakers whose constituencies encompass agricultural regions, to the FATUC. They let the GNP know of their intention to block any attempt to railroad the bill, even if this meant physically preventing it from taking place.

“Congress’s passing of the ratification bill in the U.S. has effectively made further renegotiation impossible,” said DP floor leader Kim Jin-pyo, meeting a Hankyoreh reporter. “Now all that remains is the choice whether to pass the ratification bill or not. In this situation, all we can do is pick out items such as measures to limit damage suffered by those working in agriculture, fishing and livestock, as well as small and medium traders, and negotiate them one by one.”

The DP’s official demands are that funds for KORUS FTA damage limitation measures to be included in next year’s budget, too, and for legal mechanisms to maintain them over the long term.

What really worries the DP is the fact that the KORUS FTA is a central element of the opposition party alliance that is to continue until next year’s general and presidential elections.

“If we fail to deal with the KORUS FTA issue properly, it will become the biggest obstacle to opposition party unity and solidarity,” said one high-ranking DP official. “We have no choice but to put everything we have into stopping the GNP railroading it.”

It is highly likely that the DP plans to make sure it is seen by other opposition parties and the public as making efforts, ultimately unsuccessful, to physically block the railroading of the bill by the GNP.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]