U.S., South Korea Officials Meet
Kirk and Kim discuss trade negotiations.
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 29, 2010
President Obama vowed in his last State of the Union Address to try to complete this year talks with South Korea on a free trade deal worth some $1.8 billion for U.S. agriculture. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk met with his South Korean counterpart this week in San Francisco in an attempt to move negotiations forward.
American Farm Bureau Trade Specialist Chris Garza says the two sides are making plans to resume free trade talks in Seoul at the G-20 talks in two weeks. He says the two major issues holding up the agreement are automobiles and beef and he hopes that the USTR can find a way to move the agreement to resolution by the G-20 so action can occur when the next Congress gets seated.
A more Republican Congress is expected to be more receptive to free trade deals, but Garza insists it will be up to President Obama to send up to the hill the remaining FTAs, including Korea.
"It's the President who needs to set out the agenda at this point and work with his members of Congress in order to get these trade agreements done," Garza said. "At the end of the day it is the President who needs to send up the trade agreements and Congress can't take any action until the President does."
Farm Bureau estimates the Korea, Columbia and Panama Free Trade Agreements together are worth some $3 billion in new U.S. ag sales abroad. The U.S. is seeking full access to Korea for beef, which is already on the rebound there.
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Tagged: farm, Farm Bureau
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