[CTC] Fwd: NEWS: Korea: AFP: Key US senators seek progress on S.Korea trade pact

[Lori Wallach]

Two senators urge 'hard bargain' with South Korea on autos

David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100719/AUTO01/7190407/1361/Two-senators-urg
e--hard-bargain--with-South-Korea-on-autos

7/20/2010

 

Washington -- Two U.S. senators urged the Obama administration to "drive a
hard bargain" with South Korea to open the country to auto imports. 

 

Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, wrote President
Barack Obama today demanding the administration take a tough stand in talks
to make changes to win congressional approval of the long-stalled Korea Free
Trade Agreement. 

 

"We believe the Administration must focus on driving a hard bargain with
Korea -- one that shows success in gaining market access while combating
unfair trade practices, and provide a new framework that gives confidence to
American producers and manufacturers that global trade deals produce jobs
and better living conditions at home and abroad," the senators wrote. 

 

Both senators are on the President's Export Council. Obama this month named
three Michigan CEOs, including Ford CEO Alan Mulally to the council. Ford
has urged changes to the agreement to open the Korean market to more U.S.
imports. 

 

Last month, Obama said his administration would launch new talks with South
Korea aimed at resolving those differences before he visits South Korea in
November; he wants to submit an agreement to Congress soon thereafter. 

 

Ford said the South Korean government "has a long history of actively
intervening in the market to exclude imports." 

 

"A well-negotiated U.S.-Korea Free Trade agreement," it said, "represents
the last, best chance to open the Korean market to imported automobiles." 

 

Most U.S. automakers have opposed the agreement negotiated under the Bush
administration because it did little to open the closed auto market. General
Motors Co. has stayed neutral, because of its South Korean unit GM Daewoo,
which is the fourth-largest automaker there. 

 

dshepardson at detnews.com (202) 662-8735 

 

>From The Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100719/AUTO01/7190407/1361/Two-senators-urg
e--hard-bargain--with-South-Korea-on-autos#ixzz0uEn3rydy

 

Andrew Gussert
Director, Citizens Trade Campaign
1150  17th  Street N.W., Suite 300
Washington, D.C.  20036

 

Cell#:  202.494.8826
Fax#:  202.293.5308
 <http://www.citizenstrade.org> www.citizenstrade.org

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