(KOREA Times)
Korea, US to Sign World's Biggest FTA
By Kim Yon-se Staff Reporter
Korea and the United States are moving to sign the world's biggest free trade agreement (FTA) even after a South Korean taxi driver immolated himself in Seoul to protest the negotiations.
Except for the multilateral North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Korea-US FTA is regarded as the biggest deal among the 211 FTAs signed worldwide.
Under the deal, the two countries will open up large areas in agriculture, merchandise and investments, with partial openings in broadcasting, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals.
Following the agreement, Korean consumers will enjoy cheap American oranges, and vehicles, but will pay more to buy American pharmaceuticals.
The deal will strengthen intellectual property rights, thus criminalizing acts of copyright infringement of online content. Television stations will also be obliged to show more American movies and programs.
Korean rice growers will not be affected by the deal as the staple food was excluded from the accord.
Agriculture was the most serious stumbling block to the accord, together with textiles, anti-dumping remedies and pharmaceuticals.
Two major issues _ beef and automobiles _ delayed the conclusion of the deal hours before the Monday 1 a.m. deadline.
``We (Korean negotiators) are pushing for last-ditch discussions with confidence that we will eventually reach an agreement,'' said Chung Jae-hoon, a senior spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The U.S. wanted Korea to eliminate tariffs on American cars immediately. While the U.S. will move to abolish tariffs on all Korean vehicles within 10 years, and within three years for passenger cars.
Washington has been calling for Seoul to revise its auto tax system by levying taxes according to price, not engine capacity. Under the deal, ``Japanese'' cars produced in American plants will likely be exported to Korea.
Negotiators were locked in a tug-of-war on whether Korea will import American beef unconditionally after May when the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) announces its final review on the status of the U.S. in combating mad cow disease.
At a news conference early Sunday, lawyer Song Ki-ho said, ``It is unnecessary for Korea to import U.S. beef containing bone fragments even if the OIE announces U.S. beef is safe to eat in May.''
He cited the Law of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS) on beef trading set by the World Trade Organization (WTO), which stipulates, ``The OIE guidelines … without requiring OECD members to change their appropriate level of protection for human health.''
``Korea and the U.S. have already reached a verbal consensus in which Korea will soften its beef quarantine rules in several months,'' said Park Sang-pyo, chief of the Veterinarian Solidarity for Public Health.
Park also argued that Korea has reached a behind-the-scenes deal on beef imports, quoting J. Patrick Boyle, president of the American Meat Institute (AMI) who recently met Korean reporters.
At a news briefing early Saturday morning, chief Korean negotiator Kim Jong-hoon said, ``Negotiations may continue to 1 a.m. April 2 (KST).''
In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) spokesman Sean Spicer said April 1 is the deadline for Congressional notification under the Bush administration's trade promotion authority.
Once the deal is signed this morning, President George W. Bush can take advantage of his fast-track authority, which expires on July 1, after notifying Congress of his plan to sign an accord with Korea.
Under the authority, American negotiators are required to submit a deal by April 2 (Washington D.C. time) for a mandatory 90-day congressional review before voting for or against it without amendments.
Before the Monday deadline, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Song Min-soon to congratulate them on their negotiations.
Security was tight around the Grand Hyatt Hotel as about 30 veterinarians and activists gathered early Sunday in front of the hilltop hotel in Seoul, where the talks are taking place, to protest against reported concessions by South Korea to fully reopen its market to American beef.
``Stopping the South Korea-U.S. FTA talks is the only alternative to protecting people's health from mad-cow disease,'' said Park Sang-pyo, a veterinarian who leads the protest.
``No! No! FTA,'' the protesters chanted, accusing the U.S. of ``arm-twisting'' South Korea to import the American meat. There were no reported clashes with police.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr 04-01-2007 18:09
Obliged(adj.)感激的
Levying(v.)徵收
Sanitary(adj.)公共衛生的
Quarantine(v.)隔離
Veterinarian(n.)獸醫
Amendment(n.)修正草案 infringement(n.)違反