GNP may push for vote on Korea-U.S. FTA bill on Nov. 24


The Democratic Party on Wednesday refused to make any concession in its opposition to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, rejecting President Lee Myung-bak’s offer to seek revision of a disputed part of the deal after its ratification.

The liberal main opposition party, instead, demanded written commitments from both the Korean and U.S. governments that they will open talks immediately to delete or suspend clauses on the controversial Investor-State Disputes settlement mechanism in the pact.

“Our stance remains unchanged: The Investor-State Disputes settlement clauses, at the very least, should be deleted from the Korea-U.S. FTA,” Rep. Lee Yong-sub, the party’s spokesperson, told a press briefing after the party’s legislators spent six hours discussing their course of action after the president’s offer.

“The president’s offer that he would push for renegotiations within three months after the deal’s coming into effect is not sufficient to change our stance,” he added.

President Lee, making a rare visit to the National Assembly on Tuesday, had proposed to DP chairman Sohn Hak-kyu that he would push to renegotiate with the U.S. the controversial ISD clauses, once the parliament ratifies the deal. 

The decision to reject Lee’s proposal is expected to aggravate the standoff between conservatives and liberals at the National Assembly over the FTA ratification.

Leaders of the ruling Grand National Party fumed at the DP’s refusal to make concessions and were working on action plans to have the bill ratified at a plenary session next week.

“(Party leaders) have agreed to handle the FTA bill in accordance with parliamentary laws,” Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, GNP chairman, told reporters, without further explanation.

The GNP, though it maintains a majority of 169 seats in the 299-member unicameral parliament, has hesitated so far in pushing for a floor vote on the FTA, fearing public backlash.

The treaty awaits a subcommittee vote before heading for a final floor vote at a plenary session. The next plenary session is scheduled for Nov. 24.

At Wednesday’s meeting of DP lawmakers, opinions were sharply divided, party sources said, with some insisting that the party should compromise.

However, hardliners who control the party’s leadership prevailed and the lawmakers decided that the party will stick to its initial stance that the controversial ISD clauses be deleted from the agreement for the deal to win parliamentary approval, they said.

DP legislators, teaming up with other liberals from minority parties, have been blocking any attempt by the GNP to pass the FTA bill, physically obstructing several committee sessions.

Meanwhile, the U.S. said it is willing to discuss the ISD clauses with Korea once the FTA takes effect, Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed U.S. trade official.

Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and his U.S. counterpart, Ron Kirk, recently exchanged letters to establish a working group and committee where the issue can be addressed, the official said.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)