Agricultural News
South Korea Ratifies Free Trade Agreement with U.S.
Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:36:55 CST
South Korea's ruling conservatives rammed through a bitterly contested free trade deal with the United States through parliament on Tuesday as lawmakers in Seoul scuffled and one member of the opposition let off a tear gas bomb, which forced a temporary clearing of the chamber. The final vote was 151 to 7, although a large number of lawmakers abstained from voting on the pact.
Both countries had set a target of having the agreement take effect January first.
After the vote- Danita Rodibaugh, Chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, issued the following statement on the importance of this vote and the actual implementation of the FTA with South Korea.
"Ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement by the Korean National Assembly today is a successful outcome both for the U.S. agricultural sector as well as consumers in South Korea.
"This is true globalization the highest level of exchange that countries can experience is when consumers can trade goods and services around the world in a borderless economy.
"Korean consumers have endured rampant food inflation, and this trade pact will provide relief. Tariffs on U.S. beef imported by Korea will drop from 40 percent to zero over 15 years, and duties on U.S. pork, which range from 22.5 percent to 25 percent, will be phased out over two years starting Jan. 1, 2014.
"For the American producers and exporters, this pact will create expanded opportunities for red meat exports to a market that has a demonstrated appetite for U.S. beef and pork. Already this year (through September), U.S. beef exports to Korea are up 45 percent in volume and 37 percent in value over 2010 levels, reaching 119,044 metric tons (262.4 million pounds) valued at $527.7 million. Even at that, Korea is just beginning to show the potential it demonstrated in 2003 when it purchased 543.6 million pounds of U.S. beef valued at $815 million.
"And U.S. pork exports to Korea through September are up 139 percent in volume and 189 percent in value versus last year, reaching 153,330 metric tons (338 million pounds) valued at $395.1 million.
"The value of U.S. red meat exports for American producers has never been higher than it is right now. Both beef and pork exports are projected to hit record highs, exceeding $5 billion in value this year. And the per-head value of those exports also is at a high, topping $202 per head for beef and $54 for pork. The invigoration of our trading relationship with South Korea will only add more value to that trade that will benefit the U.S. agricultural sector."
Earlier coverage on our website of the passage in the US Congress included some backgrounders on the free trade agreements with Korea as well as Panama and Columbia. Click here for a statement from US Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack and links to those backgrounders on all three pacts.
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