Lee urges quick parliamentary approval of KORUS FTA

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak has asked the nation's ruling party to make efforts to approve the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) at an earlier date, party officials said Monday.

The FTA that was signed in June 2007 needs approval from legislatures of both
countries. But the deal has languished in political limbo in South Korea, with
little chance of the bill being ratified this year.
Lee, a firm supporter of the deal, and his Grand National Party (GNP) want to
ratify the pact first, potentially making it harder for the incoming U.S.
administration to call for renegotiations.
According to GNP officials, President Lee has asked Hong Joon-pyo, the party's
floor leader, to redouble efforts to pass the bill before Jan. 20, 2009, when
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is scheduled to be inaugurated.
Last week, the GNP unilaterally introduced the KORUS FTA to a parliament committee.
The conservative GNP controls 172 seats in the 299-member unicameral house,
enough to ensure the legislation passes without the participation of the main
opposition Democratic Party.
sam@yna.co.kr
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