Uri Party chief (at least for now) Kim Geun-tae wants us all to know that Seoul shouldn’t bend over for the Americans during now-stalled FTA talks.
In particular, Kim said the goal of negotiations should be to get an FTA agreement that benefits Korea’s national interests, and that there was no need to get dragged around by the “one-sided demands” of the United States just to get results from the talks.
Speaking at the National Assembly this morning, he said the FTA talks had been suspended thanks to the “unreasonable demands” of the U.S. side, but time was sufficient and there was no need to rush an agreement.
He also said “all citizens” (well, apparently not all) were worried about U.S. demands that Korea completely open its market to U.S. beef. He said Korea needed to make it clear that U.S. beef imports were not subject to negotiation during these talks.
Since we’re on the topic of the FTA, be sure to check out Tom Coyner’s excellent Dec. 6 piece in the Korea Times on why the FTA is important and why it may be in serious trouble.
13 Comments
That is indeed an excellent piece by Mr Coyner.
the rub here is that korea is perenially confused about its national interests.
it will certainly be interesting if the US does start to take a more protectionist stance and becomes less interested in this negotiation. by the time korea inc. realizes the folly of not aggressively pursuing this, it will most likely be too late. at that point all bargaining power will lie in the US’s side with little to lose if it doesn’t pass ratification.
With a large gap in the degree of openness of the two economies, Korea has far more barriers to remove and higher tariffs to cut — the main reason why I’ve always questioned why the nativist Roh of all people decided to go for the FTA. Perhaps, in a way befitting his myopic vision, he figured that if the process collapses, Korea still enjoys an open US market and gives up nothing. Maybe Roh is emulating Kim Jong-il’s good faith approach to nuclear talks.
When this gets added to the beef about beef, the appeasement policy on North Korea and non-cooperation with UN sanctions, the footdragging on USFK issues — all playing out in a South Korean presidential election year that may well feature someone like Kim Geun-tae or worse pandering to the mobs — how many more straws will it take to break the back of the alliance?
I am still kind of leaning towards the opening of the FTA talks being fully politically motivated - with no economic considerations at all. In agreement with slim, Korea just has too many barriers to bring down at one time - making an agreement would be political suicide (regardless of any long term benefits).
By going through the motions and saying “NO” to the US in order to “protect our national interests”…well it does not take a genius to figure out the effect that will have.
If Koreans think that an FTA with America is bad, wait until China gets started. Even American growers are having a tough time dealing with Chinese goods.
Koreans need to get real before they get left behind, if not smashed by the Chinese.
Mr. Coyner’s article should be translated into korean so that more people can understand the TRUE long term effects of FTA. It’s really for the good of the Korean economy.
Really, sometimes I wonder about real motive behind Korean government constantly bringing up agriculture sector as a case against FTA. They care so much about protecting their agricultural sector but yet farming methods are still inefficient as centuries ago. Why don’t they invest in R&D in agriculture like they did in technology sector? May be the real motive is to protect those Samsungs, LGs, SK Telecoms, from Sonys, Nokias, T-Mobiles..
If you care so much about your rice lands and the farmers, don’t let places like Bulgyo and Igok whittle away. There are more than few things Korean government can learn from Israeli’s agricultural sector.
Korean government has told us that they object to FTA because they care so much about the farmers. Now it’s time for them to walk the walk or be quite.
If stalled US-Korea FTA talks can keep me one semester ahead of the SHIT coming over the TV from America, then that’s all I wish for.
Yep, if Kim Geun-tae had his way, Seoul would bend over only for the Norks.
While I would agree that Korea must start to feel confident enough in itself to allow more foreign products on to the market, I do really wonder if an FTA is the solution. As NAFTA has demonstrated, there are still other ways to tie up trade under an FTA (Just mention the words softwood lumber or durum wheat to a Canadian). FTA does not necesarily mean trade liberalization and more open markets. What it does mean is trade that is channeled into a market and thereby subject to the whim of the politicians in charge at a particular time. The NAFTA mechanism for trade dispute consistently believed in its multiple decisions in Canada’s favor, that the United States duties were improper and should be paid back, this did not stop the duties from being charged until a recent agreement (outside of NAFTA I might add) was reached. Resulting in a sum that is much smaller than that paid.
It would be more practical to work towards easier markets for individual items rather than a broad trade pact, which matches the Korea compartmentalised negotiation style while still creating a slow, steady move toward trade liberalization. The norkization of South Korea under the current jelly fish leadership has made people more resistant to a broad trade agreement. But I think they are more willing to be exposed to a greater selection of products which can be imported even under the current arrangement. Duties make them a bit more expensive, but still available.
On a more personal side I can’t help but feel that the US is trying to ram this down Korea’s throat before the president’s special trade powers run out. Free trade is a political mantra that is chanted by the US when they really want to talk politics. It would be better for Korea to slow down negotiations and complete the agreement with congress, If they complete it at all.
It’s simple. Let’s keep all of our rice and beef, and the ROK can keep all of their Hyundai’s and Samsung products. We Americans are such bullies. When are we going to learn to stop subjugating these unfortunate people? Cindy She-man is right.
We come into these places and force our American ways (winning) on such taciturn people. It’s time to atone for our sins. The U.S. needs to give Yongsan Garrison back, and I mean to its original splendor. We need to chip off the Imperial Stars off of the front of the buildings. Patching bullet holes is not enough; those after all are Korean buildings after all.
I don’t know why I did not see this more clearly before. Thank you Cindy!
Sorry for the grammar…..
The Noh government/Uri party never intended for their to be free trade, and there never will be, so it is kind of funny to see everyone so upset and puffing that “those Koreans will be sorry, boy, when we scuttle these talks”.
The FTA negotiations are designed to pointlessly drag on and motivate the Uri base ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. Agit-prop civic groups will howl the mantras of the Korean cult of victimhood and actually get an issue to drink soju and beat the riot police on, and otherwise-doomed Uri candidates like Kim Geuntae and Chung Dongyoung will get newspaper space and nods of agreement with the average Mr. Choi as they denounce America’s bullying and one-sided blah blah blah…
Think about it - why would Roh and the Uri’s even propose this talk (which they did, although somehow they have convinced Koreans that America initiated FTA)? Is anyone - anyone? - out there working to promote support for it?
It’s designed to fail, and give Kim GeunTae huffing material till it does…
South Korea: Spread your ass cheeks wide and rub your anus with cham girreum. The big Migook Kochoo Ajeoshi is coming to get you.
There’s no way you can avoid him. He will fuck you just like he has everyone else.
Eeuungh.
Eeuungh.
Ajoshi. It’s too big. It hurts!!!!!!!!!!