By Kang Hyun-kyung
President Lee Myung-bak called on the National Assembly Monday to endorse the long-pending free trade agreement with the United States as soon as possible.
“The Korea-U.S. FTA should be dealt with promptly to help national competitiveness,” Lee said in his parliamentary budget speech.
Lee’s address, read by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, came ahead of his planned visit to the United States for a summit with President Barack Obama on Oct. 13.
“The U.S. Congress plans to complete its ratification soon and I ask our National Assembly to act on it as soon as possible in consideration of the national interest.”
If the so-called KORUS FTA is approved, Lee said Korea will be the country having the largest “trade territory” in the world as a similar pact signed with the European Union took effect in July.
The agreement, signed in 2007 and modified last year, has been one of the most contentious issues. It was presented to the National Assembly Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee last month amid objections from opposition lawmakers.
The main opposition Democratic Party claims the deal favors the U.S. and should be renegotiated.
Lee also said preparation for unification of the two Koreas is not something that can be deferred, calling for bipartisan support to create the necessary funds.
He pledged to make efforts for progress in South-North relations, as well as preparations for peaceful unification.
Lee noted preparatory measures for unification are “a core task and the obligation of our generation” to help relieve the burden that otherwise could be shouldered by next generation.
In 2010, President Lee proposed the creation of new taxes to better prepare for unification.
His proposal sparked a barrage of accusations from North Korea as the North perceived it as a plan to absorb the communist state.
Lee’s call for bipartisan support for a unification fund came amid speculation that a diplomatic breakthrough in inter-Korean relations will come soon as a ruling party leader hinted earlier.
Hong Joon-pyo, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, said “good news on inter-Korean relations” loomed large in November.
Hong added a breakthrough in a gas pipeline project connecting the two Koreas and Russia could be such news.
Lee said he will exercise “flexibility” in his North Korea policy in what could be seen as a sign that he may soften his hard-line stance on Pyongyang to reduce long-running tension on the Korean Peninsula.