hankyoreh

chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs

Although the United States is reportedly pushing to renegotiate the free trade agreement with South Korea, the ruling Grand National Party still wants the deal ratified faster than scheduled.

At a party meeting yesterday, GNP floor leader Hong Joon-pyo urged lawmakers to vote and pass a bill ratifying the U.S.-South Korea FTA in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee.

“Passing the bill through the standing committee would give President Lee Myung-bak more chips to bargain with when he meets with U.S. President Barack Obama during the G-20 meeting on April 2 in London,” the GNP’s chief policy maker Yim Tae-hee told The Hankyoreh in a telephone interview.

GNP spokesman Yoon Sang-hyun also supports swift passage of the bill, saying that ratification would reduce the chance of the trade deal being renegotiated.

Regarding a recent report by the United States Trade Representative that hints at a possible renegotiation of the deal, a Cheong Wa Dae source said, dismissing its significance, “The report merely lists recommendations by American companies... with no covert government intentions.”

Some lawmakers, however, have expressed concerns about the ruling party’s pushing the bill through so hastily. “It is not persuasive to say that we have to ratify the Korea-U.S. FTA to put pressure on Washington or to give more bargaining chips to our president before his summit with the U.S. president,” a committee member said. “Ruling and opposition party lawmakers should take time to review the bill, and set aside their political agendas.”

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