By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday that the ratification of a free trade agreement with the United States (KORUS FTA) this year will serve the national interest.
``Leaders of the Grand National Party (GNP) should take care of details regarding how to convince the opposition parties to follow the timetable,'' Lee said during a breakfast meeting with GNP leaders at Cheong Wa Dae.
Participants included party Chairman Park Hee-tae and floor leader Hong Joon-pyo
Earlier, the GNP, with 172 seats in the 299-member National Assembly, has pledged it will not unilaterally pass the trade bill and will seek to compromise on the issue with the opposition.
Hong handed over Wednesday a package of plans to help farmers and fishermen, who are likely to be victims of the KORUS FTA, to leaders of the Democratic Party (DP), the largest opposition group.
``We are going to listen to what DP leaders say about the measures and include their suggestions. And then we will set up a meeting with government officials to review the new draft to see if it is acceptable,'' Hong said.
DP lawmakers have argued that the National Assembly should complete the policy package for the possible victims before ratification.
In the breakfast meeting, Hong pledged again to make his best efforts to pass the trade accord this year so as to push for ratification by the U.S. Congress.
Liberty Forward Party (LFP) leader Lee Hoi-chang, however, expressed discontent over the way Hong has handled the trade bill, claiming government ministries, not opposition parties, are supposed to hammer out a package of assistances for farmers.
``The general public has mandated the government to work on supportive policy packages to protect farmers, who are going to lose out if the trade pact is effective. Now, the government and the ruling party are saying the general public should take care of the job, which does not make sense,'' Lee said.
A group of 36 lawmakers of the DP, the LFP and the Democratic Labor Party launched an alliance to oppose the GNP's plan to pass the KORUS FTA this year.
These lawmakers, including Lew Seon-ho of the DP, said they will hold forums and meetings with outside experts to frustrate the GNP's plan to ratify the deal.