November 2, 2010Lee, Obama Agree to Wrap Up FTA Talks Before G20
Lee, Obama Agree to Wrap Up FTA Talks Before G20 President Lee Myung-bak and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama spoke on the phone Tuesday and agreed to complete talks on the bilateral free trade agreement before the G20 Summit in Seoul next week, a Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman said.
Korea and the U.S. signed the FTA in June 2007, but it has been stuck in both parliaments since. The two sides have been in additional talks since late last month as the U.S. wants Korea to relax environmental standards for American cars and import rules for beef.
The two leaders agreed that the FTA "should be forged to promote free trade and upgrade the Korea-U.S. alliance," Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Kim Hee-jung told reporters. Obama was quoted as telling Lee during the half-hour conversation that he plans to send a delegation to Korea for the discussions before he comes to Seoul next week. He added that the FTA will boost economic ties and strengthen the alliance.
A high-ranking government official said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will visit Korea this weekend and stay until just before the G20 Summit kicks off on Nov. 11 to talk with Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon.
Washington has been calling on Seoul to ease car emission regulations, which are stricter than those in the U.S., and the Korean government is apparently minded to accept that demand. But it is unlikely to permit imports of beef from cattle older than 30 months.
Another source, November 3 - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Wednesday the United States will be sending an important message on its commitment to free trade if it finally advances a pact it signed with Seoul on opening their markets.
The two sides are working to conclude discussions addressing U.S. industry concerns that a free trade deal signed three years ago does not do enough to open South Korean markets to U.S. autos and beef.
"I believe concluding the South Korean-U.S. FTA carries an important message on free trade as far as the U.S. position is concerned," Lee told a news conference.
Lee added that he and U.S. President Barack Obama were in agreement it would be in the two countries' interest to conclude discussions at the earliest.
Lee and Obama hoped to resolve outstanding issues by the time the two leaders meet in Seoul next week on the sidelines of a two-day G20 summit.
"We already have an agreement so I don't believe it should be very complicated," Lee said. "If the trade ministers of the two countries look at what is in our mutual interest, then I think there is a chance. I'm positive about this."
The United States and South Korea must thrash out issues connected with trade in beef and autos that have blocked U.S. congressional approval of the pact, which has been delayed because of some U.S. lawmakers' objections.
South Korean officials have said Seoul is opposed to making any changes to the pact itself but is willing to listen to U.S. industry concerns.
The deal has broad support among South Korea's ruling Grand National Party but has yet to be approved by the country's unicameral assembly. The country's small but politically powerful farm lobby is opposed to the deal.
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/11/03/2010110300556.html
