| Unrest grows over the pact between the US and South Korea |
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| World Affairs Talk | |
| Monday, 25 June 2007 | |
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The agreement has left many local workers and farmers fearing for their jobs. The pact, the biggest for the US since the 1993 North America Free Trade Agreement, is expected to be signed on June 30 before US President George W. Bush's fast-track trade promotion authority expires. It also needs ratification by the legislatures of both countries, whose two-way trade reached $74 billion in 2006. South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed its stand on the issue by saying that Seoul would not accept any revisions that could hurt its interests. About 8,000 farmers rallied in Seoul last week, demanding the government to abolish the deal. And workers led by the 40,000-strong union at Hyundai Motor plan a five-day walkout in protest at the deal. The government said, this strike would pour cold water on our gradually recovering economy and growing cooperative labor-management relations; South Korean laws ban unions from striking for political purposes. Unions however said that they would go ahead with the walkout, insisting the deal would undermine workers' job security. Though, according to opinion polls, the pact is supported by a majority of South Koreans. Some US Congress members are also increasingly skeptical about the pact. A senior congressman Wednesday demanded a full renegotiation of the pact. Speaking at a US International Trade Commission hearing, Michigan legislator Sander Levin singled out the auto sector, which is strong in his home state. Share & Bookmark             |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 29 June 2007 ) |
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