By Lee Tae-hoon
The government and the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) agreed Friday to work together to pass the long-protracted free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States by the end of this month.
Senior Cabinet members and GNP lawmakers gathered at the National Assembly and agreed to map out measures to protect local industries vulnerable to the deal before endorsing it.
They have been increasing efforts to pass the trade pact since U.S. Congress endorsed it during President Lee Myung-bak's state visit to Washington last week.
Opposition parties, however, remain opposed to the agreement, citing the possibility that the deal would have a negative impact on some local industries and that it favors the United States.
Cabinet members agreed to increase government subsidies for agriculture and fishery industries that could be affected by cheaper imported goods, GNP spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said.
Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik stressed the deal would bring benefits to the Korean economy and called for cooperation between the legislature and the government to reach an agreement to approve the pact.
"The FTA will help reinforce the Korea-U.S. alliance to lay a foundation for strong security and also make the world's biggest market our economic territory," Kim said. "The government has prepared countermeasures to protect the agriculture industry and to strengthen competitiveness. We will make the utmost effort to make them more effective."
Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon said the majority of South Koreans favor the deal that would boost the economy and create more jobs.
"As far as I know, all public surveys have shown there were more proponents for the South Korea-U.S. FTA than opponents," Kim said, asking for bipartisan compromise so the pact can be ratified this month and go into effect in January.
"The United States has completed all preparations for the pact to go into effect," Kim said. "I think the time has come for us to wrap up the (approval process) that has lasted four and a half years."
The main opposition Democratic Party is calling for additional safeguards for local industries before endorsing the pact, while the minor progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) said it would employ ``all possible means" to stop the ratification process.
Earlier this week, a group of opposition lawmakers occupied the parliamentary trade committee room to block the GNP's move to pass the bill and send it to a plenary session for a vote.
GNP legislator Nam Kyung-pil, who heads the trade committee, said he will stand against any attempts to use violence to block the legislative process.
"If DLP lawmakers physically block the FTA ratification motion, I will strongly block the move to proceed with the process, using the chairman's authority given by the National Assembly," Nam said in a party meeting.
The ruling party has a solid majority of 171 seats in the 299-member parliament. With by-elections, including the Seoul mayoral vote, set for Wednesday, it has been reluctant to drive the law through parliament and risk scuffles at the National Assembly, which have previously embarrassed lawmakers during contentious debates.