hankyoreh

Voices against the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA) are increasingly being raised ahead of the second round of FTA negotiations, due to be held in Seoul on July 10. The voices of protest are not getting louder because Seoul is the venue of the negotiations. Unlike the first round, which was considered a prelude to official talks, the two parties are expected to exchange their initial offers of tariff concessions at this round. As such, the upcoming bilateral negotiations are very important because the overall framework of the FTA could be settled.

Not only farmers, laborers, and civic organizations, but also over 200 economists issued statements urging the government to stop the negotiations. A number of former and incumbent officials of the participatory government joined the movement against the FTA by signing these statements. Religious and feminist groups also declared their objection to the FTA and many have participated in the protests consistently. The nation’s leading economists such as former deputy prime minister for economy Jo Sun and president of Seoul National University Chung Woon-chan stressed that it is too early to sign the FTA. The political world, too, is divided into pros and cons over the issue. The nation is suffering a split. We should ask the government again if the Korea-U.S. FTA is so urgent and if it is worth this national schism.

The sounds of national disruption have fallen on deaf ears in the government. A joint statement issued by six concerned ministries and offices clearly showed that some in the government are aware of the issue. According to the statement, under the proposed FTA "several vulnerable sectors will suffer a certain degree of damage." But the statement played down opposing public opinion as akin to people trying to pick a quarrel, and the government in turn said it would "deal with violent protests sternly."

The government needs to understand the situation correctly. Opposition to the FTA does not merely encompass a small part of the population. A recent opinion poll showed that 52 percent of the public thinks the signing of the FTA will harm the nation and up to 90 percent said the pace of FTA negotiations should be slowed. The government cannot persuade the people with abstract rhetoric that the nation’s social systems and international competitiveness will be enhanced, nor can it persuade them by gathering data favorable to its stance. The government did not disclose publicly the results of the first round of negotiations. Under such circumstances, it is public deception for the government to say that it would "collect opinions from every walk of life" and reflect those opinions at the negotiating table.

Everyone in South Korea, not only the government, wants to see peaceful demonstrations. However, before the demonstrations even began, the government should have paid attention to the voice of the people. The FTA with the U.S. has the potential of changing our future for the worse. The government has no right to unilaterally push ahead with what could violate our basic rights to livelihood and survival.