By Oh Young-jin
Assistant managing editor
It was April 2, 2007, when Korea and the United States “settled” their free trade agreement or KORUS FTA. At that time, the word, settle, was used with no quotation marks because the atmosphere was such that it would go into effect soon.
The word definitely needs quotation marks now, considering it has yet to go into effect four and half years after its settlement and its ratification remaining as kind of a tossup.
After a last-minute extension that added to the sense of suspense then, President Roh Moo-hyun obviously felt elated about getting the job done for the sake of national interest. He made a speech to the nation explaining point by point why it was necessary and what benefits and disadvantages we should expect.
It was both the low and high points of the progressive head of state’s presidency.
It was a low point because the late President lost much of his progressive support base that was dead against the bilateral trade pact.
Anti-FTA activists seized Seoul’s city center with traffic brought to a standstill for hours denouncing Roh as a turncoat in contrast to plaudits given to him from conservative newspapers. It was ironic in extremis considering he privately said that he felt like throwing conservative newspapers into the trash can every morning for their unilateral partisan attacks. He must have been amused about the change of tone. At any rate, he pressed on.
It was a high point because he transcended ideological biases and behaved in a manner that was fit for a president, not just for progressives or conservatives but a united Korea for all. Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong at that time got a big plum job as the country’s ambassador to the United Nations and now he works as top legal counsel for Samsung Group.
Even then, it was openly being wondered whether a conservative president could have pulled off the same feat as Roh did.
For the following four years up until earlier this year, the KORUS FTA has been dormant.
Then, the United States, buffeted by the Great Recession of 2008, couldn’t afford to follow up on their side of the deal, while Korea, now led by a conservative government, had waited for Washington to act first. U.S. Congress ratified it and now the ball is in our court, or more exactly the National Assembly’s.
Now, pandemonium has broken loose.
Progressives cite similar reasons as those in the lead-up to the 2007 FTA settlement for their opposition. The minor leftist Democratic Labor Party, which vows to represent the interest of workers, has put out a “poisonous” 12 points included in the FTA that is up for ratification.
Some of them look quite technical so those who are not versed in the issues are likely to be swayed by assertions that sound more provocative in accordance with their political persuasions.
Then, rumor mills are working overtime over ill effects from the FTA, many of which are unfounded.
Deplorably, no common sense appears to be working. Some dub the KORUS FTA as a treaty that gave the nation away to Japan in the early 20th century but we no longer are the Hermit Kingdom we used to be _ a weak, uniformed nation with no sense of direction.
We are home to the world’s leading automakers and giant information technology firms with our economic resilience the envy of the world. We are an export-oriented nation that has an insatiable appetite for more markets where we sell our goods and FTAs are key tools to gaining access to them. As with most things in life, the KORUS FTA is a two-way street and involves tradeoffs.
Obviously, it is politics that’s getting in the way. On our docket are general elections in April and a presidential poll next December, seeing lawmakers jockeying for better position and setting up potential presidential candidates in a bid for the highest office in the nation.
Even those in the ruling camp during the Roh administration have expressed their opposition, arguing that the trade bill has undergone renegotiations so it is different from the one they supported. They may be right technically but their arguments sound increasingly hollow and politically motivated.
At least they should have an iota of decency to keep their mouths shut and prevent them from associating with images of a woman going to bed with any paying man. Such a juxtaposition of images is already occurring in the Grand National Party. Now ruling party lawmakers are competing to be first in line to criticize President Lee Myung-bak and distance themselves from him for a better shot at re-election.
Lee will receive no sympathy nor can he expect it because he is the leader whose taxpayer-paid job is governing to the best of his ability to look out for the best national interests.
Is he keeping his side of the bargain with the nation as the holder of the highest elected office?
Sometimes, the best way to lead is not hiding behind tall iron fences but standing in front of the crowd.
Oftentimes, the crowd wants to be led. When their waiting for a leader protracts, the crowd can turn into a mob. Effective leaders go hand in hand with the right timing for leadership to be given.
Now is the right time for Lee to step up and tell people why they should accept an FTA with the United States and how it will benefit the nation. Lee has a political capital for it and all he has to do is use it. Remember; when left unused, leadership is as good as dead.