By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) expressed its skeptical attitude toward ``early'' parliamentary ratification of the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.

At a luncheon meeting between President Lee Myung-bak and leaders of major parties at Cheong Wa Dae Thursday, UDP floor leader Kim Hyo-seok said ``We are willing to pass the FTA motion, but the issue is its timing.''

Kim's remarks came after policymaker Lee Han-koo of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) asked Kim to be cooperative in passing the motion.

Lee invited leaders of the two parties to the luncheon to brief them on summit talks with U.S. President George W. Bush at Camp David April 18-19. One his way home, he visited Japan for talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

President Lee called for opposition cooperation.

The U.S. administration hopes to have the FTA enacted before Congress adjourns, currently set for the end of September, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said Tuesday.

UDP leaders urged President Lee and the GNP to revise the administration's policy to fully open the domestic beef market to U.S. products if they want early passage of the FTA.

Opposition leaders have already described the Lee government's beef deal with the United States as an irresponsible policy neglecting public health and angering domestic cattle breeders.

The UDP floor leader said a parliamentary hearing will look into the beef deal during a National Assembly session that opened Friday.

Some participants cited recent news that specified risk materials, a main factor in mad cow disease, were found in a batch of U.S. beef shipments to Japan.

A ranking official at the Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights said the U.S. government's alleged laxness in oversight of mad cow disease is not news.

``The U.S. agriculture industry is the No. 2 political funding source to the Bush administration,'' he said.

kys@koreatimes.co.kr