National Assembly panel meets to discuss EU FTA ratification

By Kim Se-jeong

Members of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee met Tuesday to discuss further the ratification of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which recently came under fire for translation errors.

The session was supposed to be the last step before the FTA is sent to an Assembly plenary session scheduled for April 28 and 29. A subcommittee last week voted against forwarding the agreement followed by sharp exchanges between Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and lawmakers.

A talking point was the possible extent of damage to Korea’s livestock industry by the FTA.

“The government has devised measures to minimize damage to the industry and to reinforce competitiveness within it,” said Yim Jong-ryong, vice minister of strategy and finance, before the committee.

Rep. Kim Dong-cheol of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), a member of the committee, told The Korea Times prior to the session that “Whether the ratification will pick up speed will depend on how the damage report is received today.”

Signed last year, the Korea-EU FTA is expected to take effect from July 1. The European Parliament ratified it earlier this year, anticipating its Korean counterpart to do the same.

On Monday European Union Ambassador to Korea Tomasz Kozlowski called for a swift ratification in Korea. Concern over the livestock industry shouldn’t be magnified, the ambassador said, as the EU also ratified the pact amid lingering concerns over automobiles.

The private sector in Korea joined the EU campaign for swift ratification.

Earlier, a group of private business representatives visited Rep. Nam Kyung-pil of the GNP, also calling for ratification.

The ratification process in Korea slowed down dramatically with the revelation of translation errors.

The government made a public apology and withdrew the bill to correct 207 errors.

The ruling Grand National Party has showed consistent support for the agreement, whereas the DP has grown skeptical over the translation errors.

Rep. Kim ruled out speculation that the opposition party opposes the FTA no matter what. “Theoretically, the DP supports the FTA. However, if it is found to bring more disadvantages than advantages, we will oppose it.”

The EU is the biggest single market in the world with a population of 500 million.