Pres. Roh says Seoul’s FTA with Beijing inevitable
Chosun Ilbo | May 23, 2007
Pres. Roh Says Seoul’s FTA with Beijing Inevitable
President Roh Moo-hyun laid out the economic agenda for Korea, and it included a free trade agreement with Asia’s powerhouse China.
With nine months left in office, the President defended his administration’s economic policies, and also spoke of what he would like to see happen.
Roh said Seoul’s signing of a free-trade pact with Beijing is inevitable. But, as he told an interview with the Maeil Business Daily on Monday, the timing must be right.
As Korea pushes to ink free trade deals with big economic powers such as the U.S. and the European Union, Roh tried to soothe those critical of the open-door trade policy by promising to compensate victims of the FTA.
On the inter-Korean issue, the President called it a pity that further expansion of the joint factory complex at North Korea’s border city Kaeseong had been slowed by political factors such as Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions.
Roh also argued that, contrary to naysayers, the government’s economic policies such as the pledge to curb real-estate speculation and lower the jobless rate were taking shape.
With less than a year left in office, the President said his administration will give it its best shot until the very last day of the term to fulfill the vision and plans he promised four years ago.
Arirang News
