Main opposition rejects Lee’s FTA offer
Calls for vote on trade accord gain impetus in ruling party
By Kang Hyun-kyung
The main opposition party Wednesday turned down President Lee Myung-bak’s proposal calling for renegotiation on the investor-state dispute (ISD) settlement provision after the free trade agreement signed with the United States (KORUS FTA) is ratified.
The Democratic Party (DP) demanded that South Korea and the United States agree on a written statement signed by ministerial level or higher officials committing to scrap the ISD clause.
The DP announced the decision after its members held a closed-door, heated debate regarding whether it should accept Lee’s proposal or not. The debate lasted for six hours.
Hardliners, including Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu, insisted that if negotiators from Korea and the United States agree to drop the ISD, his party would be willing to vote on the measure.
Sohn demanded the two sides remove the provision, stressing there has been no change in his position on the FTA even after President Lee made the proposal.
Meanwhile, moderate Rep. Kim Sung-gon called on hardliners to show some flexibility on their initial position as President Lee had made concessions.
After the hours-long debate, the hardliners won.
Inter-party confrontation is likely to be unavoidable in the National Assembly plenary session slated for next Thursday as the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is poised to put the bill to a vote.
Calls for the GNP’s push for ratification gained impetus in the ruling party after the DP refused Lee’s fresh proposal.
GNP lawmakers said the President did all he could to get bipartisan support for the KORUS FTA
Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, a GNP spokesman, told reporters that the DP’s demand for a joint statement was an insult to Lee.
“President Lee promised to seek renegotiation under his responsibility if the stalled-pact is signed. And the U.S. government made it clear that they are willing to consult with South Korea on any issues, including the ISD,” he told reporters.
“What the DP signaled through its decision today is that they don’t trust the Korean President’s commitment but can trust what U.S. secretaries will say.”
After having luncheon with second-term lawmakers, GNP Chairman Hong Joon-pyo said his party members have “practically” reached a consensus that they would move the FTA forward in accordance with the National Assembly Law.
The GNPleader declined to elaborate further.
His remarks, however, were construed as meaning that the ruling party will push for ratification of the trade pact.
All GNP members are to meet today to decide on the party’s official position regarding whether it will push for ratification of the stalled trade accord despite the DP’s refusal.
As prospects for a bipartisan agreement are murky, the GNP chairman is reportedly seeking to hold a meeting with his DP counterpart Sohn in an apparent last-ditch attempt to reach a compromise.