National Assembly Passes FTA in 30 Minutes after Seven Months

On February 16, the fourth attempt at ratifying the Korea-Chile FTA was easily completed just in 30 minutes without commotion.

The rural district legislators did not use force to stop the approval as they did before.

Extensive persuasion efforts by the government and each political parties’ leadership for agrarian district lawmakers were behind the smooth approval of the treaty. The leadership of the opposition Grand National Party was proactive as it was seeking ways out of criticism that the GNP stalled the FTA, a matter of national interest, while it passed a resolution to free former GNP chairman Suh Chung-won from prison.

‘The approval of the FTA is the issue that can determine the fate of the GNP. The approval is the party line. If anyone fails to properly respond to the issue, he or she will be incurably damaged in the party nomination process for the April National Assembly election,” Choe Byung-yul said at a general meeting with GNP lawmakers. At a meeting with 20 rural lawmakers of the GNP in a restaurant, he emphasized again that the approval of the treaty is inevitable.

He said at another general meeting before the National Assembly session, “The opponents of the treaty should vote for the FTA anyway. If you feel so burdened, do not attend the session.”

Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) chairman Chough Soon-hyung also encouraged his lawmakers to vote for the approval and played an active role in the passage of the FTA ratification.

“Although it is a non-party line vote, as chairman I will vote for the approval,” Chough said in a standing central committee meeting of the MDP. “If the leadership agrees, I will risk my confidence for the passage of the approval. Although it all depends on your belief,” he said, further pressing lawmakers, “you should vote for it for the national interest.”

As Chough dominated the mood, Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the standing committee member who opposes the FTA did not voice her opposition in the meeting.

Rep. Lee Kyu-taek of the GNP and Rep. Kim Kyung-jae of the MDP voiced their opposition and said, “The government did not come up with reasonable measures for the rural community.” However, the balance was tilted toward the passage of the approval.

The government was proactive too.

Prime Minister Goh Kun and Agriculture and Forestry Minister Huh Sang-man had a luncheon meeting with rural community legislators Rep. Park Hee-tae of the GNP and Rep. Lee Jeong-il of the MDP, where they promised additional support measures for the rural community. Their persuasion efforts continued right before the session.

The vote was an open one. The rural legislators, who strongly argued for an electronic board vote on February 9, did not oppose the open vote. Most of the rural lawmakers voted against the approval.

Yong-Gwan Jung Myoung-Gun Lee yongari@donga.com gun43@donga.com