Lawmaker to push for ratification of S. Korea-India CEPA

New Delhi, Aug. 31 (Yonhap) -- A senior South Korean lawmaker said Monday he
intends to promote a comprehensive trade agreement with India, to be approved by
the South Korea's parliament in October.
Park Jin, chairman of the National Assembly's diplomacy and trade committee, told
Yonhap News Agency he will make every effort to have the Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between South Korea and India ratified by the
parliament in October so the agreement can take effect in January next year.
The South Korean government submitted a bill on CEPA to be approved Wednesday.
The two sides on Aug. 7 concluded the deal to boost cooperation between the two
countries and cut duties on goods such as auto parts and electronics.
Park added that he explained his plan to high-ranking Indian officials, including
Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
The CEPA is expected to boost bilateral trade by as much as US$3.3 billion
annually, according to estimates by the state-run Korea Institute for
International Economic Policy (KIEP).
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