ID :
102809
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 07:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/102809
The shortlink copeid
House leader calls on Obama to do extra work before Korea FTA's ratification
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- The House majority leader Tuesday called for the Barack Obama administration to do additional work before submitting the pending free trade deal with South Korea for ratification.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md) did not elaborate while speaking at a news conference at
the National Press Club, but Obama and other U.S. officials have expressed
concerns over an imbalance in auto trade and restricted shipments of U.S. beef to
South Korea, the seventh biggest market for the U.S.
"I am a proponent of at least two of the pending free trade agreements," Hoyer
said. "I think we have some additional work to do with South Korea, which is the
largest of the agreements. But my own view is, in Colombia and Panama we ought to
pass those. I publicly indicated that for some period of time."
Hoyer's remarks come just days after Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state
for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told a congressional hearing that the Obama
administration will work closely with South Korea for congressional approval of
the Korea FTA to help revive the U.S. economy, struggling through the worst
recession in decades.
"Despite strong export growth to the Asia-Pacific, the United States' share of
the total trade in the region has declined by three percent in the past five
years," Campbell said. "To reverse this trend, we will continue to work with the
Congress, stakeholders, and the Republic of Korea to work through the outstanding
issues of concern so we can move forward on our bilateral free trade agreement."
Hoyer said that trade is "very controversial in both parties, and there are
bipartisan opposition and bipartisan support."
"The president's trade representatives have indicated he is interested in moving
ahead on trade agreements, as has the president," the lawmaker said. "We need to
continue to work on those. I believe that an America that is competitive can and
will compete with the rest of the world in open markets."
U.S. officials have said they want to address U.S. concerns about auto and beef
in side agreements without revising the text of the deal, signed in 2007.
South Korea is pressing Obama to submit the pact by this summer, fearing that
failure to do so would push ratification to at least 2011, after the mid-term
elections in November.
Pessimists fear the Korea FTA may be sidelined again this year as Obama focuses
on health care reform, already jeopardized by the victory of Republican Scott
Brown in the Massachusetts special election last week, breaking the Democrats'
filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate. Health care and other pressing
issues are seen as critical to Obama's reelection in 2012.
South Korean officials have expressed hope that the passage of health care reform
will pave the way for early congressional approval of the Korea FTA.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- The House majority leader Tuesday called for the Barack Obama administration to do additional work before submitting the pending free trade deal with South Korea for ratification.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md) did not elaborate while speaking at a news conference at
the National Press Club, but Obama and other U.S. officials have expressed
concerns over an imbalance in auto trade and restricted shipments of U.S. beef to
South Korea, the seventh biggest market for the U.S.
"I am a proponent of at least two of the pending free trade agreements," Hoyer
said. "I think we have some additional work to do with South Korea, which is the
largest of the agreements. But my own view is, in Colombia and Panama we ought to
pass those. I publicly indicated that for some period of time."
Hoyer's remarks come just days after Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of state
for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told a congressional hearing that the Obama
administration will work closely with South Korea for congressional approval of
the Korea FTA to help revive the U.S. economy, struggling through the worst
recession in decades.
"Despite strong export growth to the Asia-Pacific, the United States' share of
the total trade in the region has declined by three percent in the past five
years," Campbell said. "To reverse this trend, we will continue to work with the
Congress, stakeholders, and the Republic of Korea to work through the outstanding
issues of concern so we can move forward on our bilateral free trade agreement."
Hoyer said that trade is "very controversial in both parties, and there are
bipartisan opposition and bipartisan support."
"The president's trade representatives have indicated he is interested in moving
ahead on trade agreements, as has the president," the lawmaker said. "We need to
continue to work on those. I believe that an America that is competitive can and
will compete with the rest of the world in open markets."
U.S. officials have said they want to address U.S. concerns about auto and beef
in side agreements without revising the text of the deal, signed in 2007.
South Korea is pressing Obama to submit the pact by this summer, fearing that
failure to do so would push ratification to at least 2011, after the mid-term
elections in November.
Pessimists fear the Korea FTA may be sidelined again this year as Obama focuses
on health care reform, already jeopardized by the victory of Republican Scott
Brown in the Massachusetts special election last week, breaking the Democrats'
filibuster-proof 60-seat majority in the Senate. Health care and other pressing
issues are seen as critical to Obama's reelection in 2012.
South Korean officials have expressed hope that the passage of health care reform
will pave the way for early congressional approval of the Korea FTA.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
