GNP wants S. Korea-EU FTA ratified this month

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) will pass through the parliament South Korea's free trade deal with the European Union (EU) this month, a top party official said Friday.

"We aim to pass a ratification motion for the free trade deal during the extra legislative session in February," Kim Moo-sung, the floor leader of the party, told Yonhap News Agency by phone.

On Thursday, the European Parliament approved the free trade agreement (FTA) signed between Seoul and Brussels on Oct. 6, bringing it a step closer to coming into force in July.

"To keep pace with the move, it is important to have activities to put the ratification motion to a parliamentary standing committee for an intensive discussion," Kim said.

Although the intensity of opposition parties' resistance to the South Korea-EU FTA is weak in comparison to a similar deal with the United States, lawmakers should come up with measures to address various fallout from the deal, he said.

As for the FTA with the U.S., the party is in no hurry and will take time before it is approved by the legislature, the floor leader said.

Rival parties were to normalize the parliament on Friday, breaking almost two months of a deadlock caused by the GNP's railroading of a national budget bill in December. (Yonhap)