hankyoreh

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said renegotiation of the free trade agreement with the United States is unavoidable.

In an article titled “Ratification of the South Korea-U.S. FTA, is it really an issue that needs to be rushed?” posted on his Internet debate site “Democracy 2.0” on November 11, Roh wrote, “The global financial crisis occurred after the agreement was signed. If we want to save the South Korea-U.S. FTA, we should prepare for a renegotiation, rather than ratifying it early.”

The main opposition Democratic Party, the party affiliated with the former president, is likely to be embarrassed by Roh’s actions because he pushed for the signing of the free trade pact during his term despite harsh criticisms that often billed him as a “left-wing neoliberalist,” and is suddenly calling on the incumbent administration and the National Assembly to cope with a possible renegotiation of the deal. Roh’s desire for renegotiation goes farther than what was expressed by the DP earlier in the week, when it urged the government and the National Assembly to establish countermeasures for farms and fisheries before the deal is ratified.

Roh seems to think that South Korea can defend its interests by being the first to propose a renegotiation of the deal, if, as many have said, it is something that is going to be unavoidable. As the new U.S. administration and Congress ponder the idea of renegotiation, Roh seems to indicate that South Korea needs to fire the first salvo to prevent it from being overpowered later. According to Roh, because the global financial crisis erupted after the free trade deal was signed, there is a need for South Korea to examine its economy and financial systems. Roh also wrote that if the deal is renegotiated, South Korea will have to be prepared to raise issues

that it failed to win during previous negotiations.

In the article, Roh even seemed to argue that the deal is worthless, saying it will be “difficult” for the agreement to be ratified without some level of renegotiation. Roh’s article is being seen by some as a way to pressure politicians into considering the actions they would take in a possible renegotiation. Following this line of thought, it is possible that the article is an appeal to politicians to not waste time in debate.

Roh wrote that when a situation changes, it is pragmatic to reconsider the new circumstances, indicating that he opposes the idea of ratifying the deal simply to put pressure on the U.S. Congress to do the same. President Lee Myung-bak is often characterized as being pragmatic.

DP leaders seem to be ignoring the words of Roh, who when he was president served as the de facto party leader. In a telephone interview with The Hankyoreh, Rep. Won Hye-young, the DP floor leader, reiterated the party’s existing position on the matter, saying, “Although we need to closely monitor the movement in the U.S. with strategic flexibility, it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to raise the issue of renegotiation before the U.S. does.”

There are two reasons for the DP’s position. One is that South Korea would lose face if it were to ask the United States for renegotiation of a deal they both signed. Instead, its top priority is the formation of a special parliamentary committee composed of ruling and opposition party lawmakers that will thoroughly examine how things have changed since the deal was signed in June 2007 and whether the deal was advantageous to South Korea. “It’s not too late for us to demand the U.S. renegotiate the deal if it is found to be necessary after the agreement’s flaws are reviewed,” Won said.

Rep. Seo Gap-won, the DP’s deputy floor leader, said Roh’s article “suggests the need to examine various changes at home and abroad. If the DP speaks of renegotiation as an ideal, it will lead to a wasteful debate. Our current stance is appropriate.”

However, it is unlikely that the DP’s proposal for the special committee will succeed. “The Grand National Party’s reaction (to the proposal) isn’t positive,” Won said.

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