Korean Lawmakers Ratify US FTA

In a surprise plenary session of the South Korean National Assembly on Tuesday 22 November, the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) pushed through the ratification of the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement, despite chaos in the assembly room and protests on the streets. The controversial trade pact, originally negotiated in 2007, was signed into law in Washington this past October.

US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, praised the approval of the “win-win agreement,” which could potentially go into effect on 1 January 2012. “We look forward to working closely with the government of Korea to bring the agreement into force as soon as possible,” Kirk added.