Opposition party stance will backfire

The opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) has started a dangerous gamble with the United States and probably the world. In a letter reportedly sent Thursday to U.S. President Barack Obama and Congress, it demanded the removal of the alleged poisonous codes in the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), which will go into effect next month.

The party pledges the revision of the accord if it becomes the majority party in the general election scheduled for April. It is threatening to scrap the deal unless renegotiations are made if the party wins the presidential election in December.

The opposition party cannot divert criticism for its inconsistency and self-denial. Its Chairwoman Han Myung-sook seeks to reverse what the Roh Moo-hyun administration did five years ago. She was the prime minister when Seoul and Washington agreed on the trade arrangement.

Many voters are skeptical over the scuttling of the pact as abandoning it will become disastrous for Korea domestically and globally. It will be sure to downgrade Korea’s credit rating, drive out foreign investors and ultimately erode the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Demanding the FTA annulment does not necessarily mean that the party seeks to gain by riding high on anti-Americanism and xenophobia. However, voters cannot discard the perception that the party is subtly exploiting the anti-American card by demanding renegotiations. It plans to play the Lone Star card at least until the general election. It is pressing for a hearing to penalize top financial regulators for allowing Lone Star to exit Korea without paying the price for its alleged illegal investment.

Puzzling is why the party does not want the nullification of the same deals with the European Union and other countries, or the shelving of similar future negotiations with other nations, including China.

The party has indicated it will exclude FTA supporters from selection to run in the general election, embarrassing about half of its current lawmakers who back the deal either passively or actively. The screening committee should not be a kangaroo court by branding FTA advocates as anti-reformist and pro-ruling party.

The anti-FTA card seems to be appealing, at least for the opposition DUP, to win the parliamentary election. Progressive opposition parties and NGOs take the position that an anti-KORUS FTA stance is the minimum link for an alliance or merger for the elections this year. The party has become hostage to the demands of the non-DUP opposition forces.

International trade is bread and butter for the nation lacking in natural resources. Politicizing the trade deal is a sure road to shaking the world’s seventh largest trading country.

The party must declare it will disband the party unless it dumps the deal following its possible winning of the presidential election. The bilateral FTA has implications far beyond just the economic impact. The opposition must question whether its anti-FTA campaign slogan will not backfire.