New ROK ambassador to push ROK-US FTA

South Korea's newly appointed ambassador to the United States, Han Duck-soo (han tŏksu, 한덕수/韓悳洙), says that getting early ratification of the ROK-US Free Trade Agreement will be a top priority. 

Despite Democrats saying they would push for ratification of the Bush-era agreement, Han says he kows that approval by Congress "will take more time and effort than expected." 

The Joongang Daily quotes Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as telling a Houe Ways and Means Committee that President Obama will work with Congress to ratify all the pending FTAs, including those with Colombia and Panama: "What you can expect is the president and the administration will work carefully with the Congress to find a way to move forward on those important agreements."

The Korea Times also says that South Korea's governing and opposition parties have "agreed to ratify the FTA with the United States during the National Assembly session in April."

I've made no secret that I think this agreement, though not perfect, is for now close to the best deal that could possibly come about and is definitely a step in the right direction. South Korean president Lee Myungbak spent a lot of political capital in order to meet American demands, especially by lifting the ban on American beef, which Japan and Mexico (the two other large importers of US beef) had not done. As far as the Democrats are concerned, it's time to stop blaming Korea (and Japan) for Americans not wanting what Detroit is selling. Pass the FTA already so we can move on.