By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter
South Korean officials are drawing up strategies for additional talks of a tentatively struck free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, as Washington has formally asked Seoul to renegotiate seven areas of the deal this week, according to the government in Seoul on Sunday.
Seoul negotiators stressed that they would decide how to respond to the U.S. request within the scope that would leave the balance of interest made in the previous talks ``unscratched.’’
South Korea and the U.S. ended talks for the free trade pact in early April after 10 months of tough and intensive negotiations. While the deal must get approval from the legislative bodies of both the countries, their governments were set to formally sign the deal late this month.
But the deal is now on hold since Washington has raised the need for renegotiation so that the new U.S. trade policy, which toughened its labor and environmental provisions, could be reflected in the final agreement.
Washington has forwarded a revised draft of the deal to Seoul through diplomatic channels, which takes into account the new trade policy standards through revision or omission of some contents, the South Korean government said in a statement on Saturday.
``The U.S. proposed to send a delegation led by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler to Seoul on June 21-22 for the additional talks in the areas of labor, environment, pharmaceuticals, government procurement, port safety and investment,’’ it said.
In its revised draft, the U.S. calls on the countries to uphold the 1998 declaration of the International Labor Organization (ILO), according to South Korean officials.
The ILO declaration advises its member states to ratify at least eight key conventions of the organization concerning discrimination, forced labor, child labor, freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining.
Washington also urged the two countries to ratify conventions of seven international environmental treaties, including the Montreal Protocol.
As for the pharmaceutical area, the U.S. has demanded that the agreement should highlight the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
South Korea has hoped the upcoming talks would be largely focused on the areas of labor and environment so that the final deal could be reached without too many changes.
``We will decide on our position in detail after reviewing and analyzing the U.S. proposal closely through inter-ministerial discussions,’’ said Lee Hye-min, South Korea’s deputy chief negotiator.
But the Seoul negotiators said they do not rule out the possibility that their American counterparts would come with a tougher stance over such issues as the dispute settlement proceedings.
South Korean officials will also have to fight some unfavorable sentiment, as opponents including farmers and anti-globalization activists have been stepping up their protest movements ahead of the formal signing and legislative ratification.
However, the government has renewed that its firm will to sign the deal late this month as scheduled, irrespective of the upcoming talks. ``We will take steps for the domestic procedures needed for the signing ceremony scheduled for June 30,’’ Presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-seon said.