ID :
88364
Sat, 11/07/2009 - 13:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/88364
The shortlink copeid
U.S. seeks wider access to Korean auto market before FTA's ratification: White House
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- The United States Friday repeated its call on
South Korea to make concessions for a wider opening of its auto market so the
U.S. can ratify a pending bilateral free trade agreement.
"We want to ensure that the Korea FTA does provide access for U.S. automobiles to
the Korean market," Jeffrey Bader, senior director for East Asian affairs at the
National Security Council, told a forum at the Brookings Institution. "But the
timing of when this can be done and what is politically seizable are very
political."
Bader was echoing U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, who demanded Thursday that
South Korea address Washington's concerns over an imbalance in auto trade and
limits on American beef imports before the ratification of the FTA, signed in
June 2007.
"We are now developing proposals that will enable us to address concerns with
respect to automotive trade ... All we are asking for is for our own auto
companies to be able to compete on a level playing field in the Korean market,"
Kirk said. "We are also looking at concerns with respect to agricultural products
more broadly to see how they can be addressed most effectively."
Autos and beef have been major hurdles to congressional approval of the FTA.
Democrats are concerned that giving the deal a final nod would draw a backlash
from trade unions -- a political power base for the party -- as fears mount over
job losses amid the country's worst recession in decades.
The Barack Obama administration is also focused on other priorities such as
health care reform and the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials have said they favor side agreements to address the issues rather
than revising the text of the deal itself.
Bader said U.S. President Barack Obama is "a firm believer in free trade,"
particularly as a force for producing lots of well-paying American jobs.
"The president has spoken to President Lee (Myung-bak) about the FTA," the Obama
aide said. "This is something that we want to be able to move ahead on. He has
directed his advisers and his Cabinet to look for ways to overcome the
differences between the two sides."
While meeting with Lee in Washington in June, Obama agreed to make efforts to
"chart a way forward," and said he will seek the appropriate "political timing"
for the submission of the Korea FTA to Congress "once we have resolved some of
the substantive issues."
South Korean Ambassador Han Duck-soo earlier this week called on Congress to
approve the Korea FTA by next summer, fearing that a failure to do so could push
the ratification back to after 2011, owing to congressional elections next
November.
Han said the ratification of the FTA, the largest for the U.S. since the North
American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994, "will create 240,000 new jobs
for the U.S. and increase U.S. gross domestic product by up to US$11 billion."
"I hope the Obama administration will complete the health care reform this fall
and pursue the Korea FTA's ratification as the top priority task next spring," he
said.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, issued a statement earlier in the day to
call for early ratification of the trade deal, warning of possible job cuts
without its implementation.
"Nearly 350,000 American jobs are at risk if this trade accord with Korea isn't
approved," the chamber said. "As U.S. unemployment hits double digits, this
agreement is an immediate job-creating stimulus."
Citing figures from a study released at the U.S.-Korea Business Council's annual
plenary meeting, the chamber said, "The U.S. could suffer a net loss of nearly
350,000 jobs, US$35 billion in export sales, and $40 billion in GDP if it fails
to implement its pending trade agreement with Korea while the European Union
moves ahead with its own agreement with Korea."
South Korea recently initialed a similar free trade deal with the European Union,
anticipating its implementation in mid-2010.
"If we delay, American workers and farmers will be put at a competitive
disadvantage in Korea," the chamber said. "U.S. manufacturers and service
providers will be undercut in the Korean market, and we'll feel the job losses at
home."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- The United States Friday repeated its call on
South Korea to make concessions for a wider opening of its auto market so the
U.S. can ratify a pending bilateral free trade agreement.
"We want to ensure that the Korea FTA does provide access for U.S. automobiles to
the Korean market," Jeffrey Bader, senior director for East Asian affairs at the
National Security Council, told a forum at the Brookings Institution. "But the
timing of when this can be done and what is politically seizable are very
political."
Bader was echoing U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, who demanded Thursday that
South Korea address Washington's concerns over an imbalance in auto trade and
limits on American beef imports before the ratification of the FTA, signed in
June 2007.
"We are now developing proposals that will enable us to address concerns with
respect to automotive trade ... All we are asking for is for our own auto
companies to be able to compete on a level playing field in the Korean market,"
Kirk said. "We are also looking at concerns with respect to agricultural products
more broadly to see how they can be addressed most effectively."
Autos and beef have been major hurdles to congressional approval of the FTA.
Democrats are concerned that giving the deal a final nod would draw a backlash
from trade unions -- a political power base for the party -- as fears mount over
job losses amid the country's worst recession in decades.
The Barack Obama administration is also focused on other priorities such as
health care reform and the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials have said they favor side agreements to address the issues rather
than revising the text of the deal itself.
Bader said U.S. President Barack Obama is "a firm believer in free trade,"
particularly as a force for producing lots of well-paying American jobs.
"The president has spoken to President Lee (Myung-bak) about the FTA," the Obama
aide said. "This is something that we want to be able to move ahead on. He has
directed his advisers and his Cabinet to look for ways to overcome the
differences between the two sides."
While meeting with Lee in Washington in June, Obama agreed to make efforts to
"chart a way forward," and said he will seek the appropriate "political timing"
for the submission of the Korea FTA to Congress "once we have resolved some of
the substantive issues."
South Korean Ambassador Han Duck-soo earlier this week called on Congress to
approve the Korea FTA by next summer, fearing that a failure to do so could push
the ratification back to after 2011, owing to congressional elections next
November.
Han said the ratification of the FTA, the largest for the U.S. since the North
American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994, "will create 240,000 new jobs
for the U.S. and increase U.S. gross domestic product by up to US$11 billion."
"I hope the Obama administration will complete the health care reform this fall
and pursue the Korea FTA's ratification as the top priority task next spring," he
said.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, issued a statement earlier in the day to
call for early ratification of the trade deal, warning of possible job cuts
without its implementation.
"Nearly 350,000 American jobs are at risk if this trade accord with Korea isn't
approved," the chamber said. "As U.S. unemployment hits double digits, this
agreement is an immediate job-creating stimulus."
Citing figures from a study released at the U.S.-Korea Business Council's annual
plenary meeting, the chamber said, "The U.S. could suffer a net loss of nearly
350,000 jobs, US$35 billion in export sales, and $40 billion in GDP if it fails
to implement its pending trade agreement with Korea while the European Union
moves ahead with its own agreement with Korea."
South Korea recently initialed a similar free trade deal with the European Union,
anticipating its implementation in mid-2010.
"If we delay, American workers and farmers will be put at a competitive
disadvantage in Korea," the chamber said. "U.S. manufacturers and service
providers will be undercut in the Korean market, and we'll feel the job losses at
home."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
