Many people are worried about the negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States that the Korean government is pushing so hard. That is because the U.S. is going to be formidable and our government cannot be depended on for its negotiation skills. The process has already begun, so what one thinks of the actual idea of pursuing these negotiations has become less important. What is more important is that Korea be thoroughly prepared and confident enough to not be dragged around by the U.S. in that process.
However, if you look at the inside story on how the negotiations began you are made even more anxious, because the government is suspected of not telling the people everything. A letter by 27 members of the U.S. Congress to the president George W. Bus that was sent last year says Korea agreed on four major concessions, including on the screen quota and the bill to revise the reappraisal of pharmaceutical products.
If you list events in chronological order you get a sense of what is happening. In September and June of last year, trade negotiator Kim Hyeon Jong visited Congress and members of important industries to persuade them to start negotiations. Then, in October, the "quarterly meeting on U.S. – Korea trade issues" was held, and in November, four U.S. congress person wrote that Korea had conceded on four major issue. Then, on January 26 of this year, the Korean government announced there would be a reduction in the "screen quota," and on February 2 each country formally announced they would begin negotiating an FTA. A week later the Congressional Research Service issued a report that among other things said Korea had conceded on four important issues.
The government is evading the issue about this, with the pathetic excuse that the "screen quota" would have had to be relaxed anyway, regardless of FTA negotiations. It just does not get the big picture. When it comes to foreign relations, sometimes the populace's support is your greatest strength. How can you negotiate properly when the people have doubts about you. The government has to give some answers that makes sense.
The Hankyoreh, 24 April 2006.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
[Editorial] Increasing Questions About FTA With USA |
