Chosun Ilbo | 24 October 2007
U.S. Congress to Approve FTA with Korea 'in 2008'
Korea's ambassador to Washington Lee Tae-sik believes the free trade agreement between Korea and the U.S. will be ratified sometime next year.
Ambassador Lee expects the U.S. Congress to first ratify FTAs with Peru, Columbia and Panama before the year's end and then focus on the pact with Korea in 2008.
The delayed settlement of the American beef issue between Seoul and Washington is reportedly the reason for this outlook.
U.S. trade officials have expressed their intentions to nudge U.S. lawmakers to approve the bilateral trade accord should Korea open its doors completely to U.S. beef imports.
However Seoul has repeatedly made it clear that it will approach the beef issue in an impartial manner and not be influenced by the two countries' FTA.
Arirang News
