Conservatives Urge Ratification of U.S. FTA

With the 17th National Assembly to end on May 29, conservative political forces and business groups are urging parliament to ratify the free trade agreement with the United States.

An association of conservative figures including former Seoul Mayor Kim Yong-rae, former chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs and unification committee Kim Hyun-wook and Korea Veterans Association President Park Se-jik ran an ad in The Dong-A Ilbo yesterday saying it will hold a rally Thursday to urge ratification of the deal at Seoul’s Cheonggye Plaza.

The association urged the National Assembly to deliver its promise to ratify the deal for revitalizing the economy and opening a brighter future for Korea.

The business community, which has been releasing statements urging ratification, is also stepping up its lobbying.

The Korea International Trade Association, The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Federation of Korean Industries, Korea Federation of Small Business and their members are jointly sending a letter urging ratification to lawmakers and focusing more on individual contacts with lawmakers.

Association president Lee Hee-beom has frequently visited parliament to persuade it to ratify the deal. The commerce chamber has also sent a petition pressing for ratification with the signatures of the presidents of its 71 branches to the Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee of the National Assembly.

The petition said, “To connect the free trade agreement to the U.S. beef import issue or oppose or delay ratification of the deal ignores national interests.”

About 19 trade organizations, including Korea Trade Research Association, Korean Academy of International Commerce and Korea Research Institute of Commerce and Law, also released a joint statement saying, “We sincerely urge early ratification and implementation of the free trade deal with the U.S.”

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