Ratification Bill of S. Korea-Chile FTA Passed

The National Assembly’s Unification-Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee (UFATC) passed the bill on the ratification of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Chile on Friday. In the voting, 12 lawmakers cast their ballots in favor while eight voted against. The ratification was referred to the National Assembly’s plenary session.

The ratification is likely to be endorsed in the Assembly’s plenary session next Monday or Tuesday, but it might draw strong opposition from farmers.

To soften the opposition by farmers, the UFATC attached an incidental condition that four special bills, which compensate damages that farmers might sustain by cheap agricultural imports from the South American country, should be simultaneously passed with the ratification bill.

It is reported that political parties are considering putting the bill to a secret vote for fear of facing heavy political burdens from voting for the ratification.

Under the National Assembly law, a secret vote may be called on important pending issues if the speaker proposes, the Assembly’s plenary session decides, and more than one-fifth of the registered lawmakers request it.

An insider of the political community said even if the ratification bill is passed in the Assembly’s plenary session, FTA will not take into effect immediately. That is because it takes time for the Chilean Congress to ratify the bill and for the two countries to give finishing touches on the agreement.

The twelve lawmakers who voted for the ratification bill are as follows: Chairwoman Seo Jung-wha, Rep. Han Seung-soo, Rep. Yoo Heung-soo, Rep. Park Won-hong, Rep. Kim Deog-ryong, Rep. Maeng Hyung-kyu, and Rep. Cho Woong-kyu from the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), Rep. Chyung Dai-chul, Rep. Lee sang-soo, Rep. Lee boo-young, Rep. Yoo Jay-kun, and Rep. Lee Chang-bok from the Uri Party.

However, eight lawmakers voted against the bill: Rep. Ha Soon-bong, Rep. Kim Yong-kab, and Rep. Kim Jong-ha from the GNP, Rep. Han Hwa-kap, Rep. Park Sang-chun, Rep. And Kim Sang-hyun from the Millennium Democratic Party, Rep. Kim Jong-ho and Lee In-je from the United Liberal Democrats.

In the meanwhile, three lawmakers, Rep. Kim Yong-whan from the GNP, Rep. Chu Mi-ae and Kim Un-yong from the MDP, did not vote.

Hyung-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com