국민의 생각과 행복이 최우선인 국가정책, 국민의힘이 만들겠습니다.
2011년 9월 23일(금)
한미자유무역협정 이행법안 미 의회 통과를 촉구하는 황진하 의원 기고문이 미국 회의 전문 일간지 폴리티코(Politico) 23일자(20면)에 게재되었습니다.
"Trade deal can't wait(한미자유무역협정 이행을 더 이상 미룰 수 없다)" 제하 기고문에서, 황진하 의원은 "여야 의원들은 한미 양국에게 'win-win 이익'을 제공하는 한미자유무역협정을 정치적 협상을 위한 카드가 아니라 한미 양국의 국익을 증진시키는 수단으로 인식하여 조속히 비준 시켜야 한다"고 주장하였습니다.
아울러, 장기화된 정치적 논쟁으로 미래지향적 한미동맹 발전이 저해 될 수 있다는 경고의 메시지도 함께 전하였습니다.
인터넷판은 www.politico.com으로 가셔서 Opinion으로 가시면 확인하실 수 있습니다.
※ 기고문 원문입니다. 번역문과 원문은 첨부자료에서 보실수 있습니다.
Politico(미국 의회 전문 일간지) 9.23일자(20면) 게재
기고자: 국회의원 황진하
(국회 외교통상통일위원)
“Trade deal can’t wait”
“한미자유무역협정 이행을 더 이상 미룰 수 없다.”
The most important issue now pending between the governments of the Republic of Korea and the United States is to ratify and implement the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement without further delay.
We should not miss this chance to open a new horizon for our alliance. This landmark deal could help hasten the U.S. economic recovery, create millions of jobs for Americans and increase U.S. exports to South Korea. Passing the treaty would provide a significant strategic opportunity for both countries.
The concerns that the South Korea-European Union Free Trade Agreement would result in lost business for the U.S. - with U.S. companies losing competitive advantages in the South Korean market - are becoming all too real, since that agreement took effect provisionally, on July 1, 2011.
For example, trade volume between South Korea and the European Union has risen dramatically and rapidly. For South Korea, the two biggest beneficiaries have been auto exports, up by 80 percent, and petrochemical products exports, up by 70 percent in just the month after the agreement entered into force.
At this point, politicians across the aisle in both countries need to ask themselves what options would deliver the best strategic benefits - for the U.S. as well as South Korea. We can come to no solution other than the free-trade agreement. So it should not be viewed as a political bargaining chip but rather as a way to advance our national interests.
The trade agreement could generate substantial economic benefits for both countries. For example, if you look at average tariff rates for trade between South Korea and the U.S., Seoul’s rates on goods imported from the U.S. are 12.1 percent, far higher than those of the U.S. rates on Korean goods (3.5 percent).
Under the trade deal, 95 percent of U.S. exports to South Korea will have tariffs eliminated within five years. In addition, implementation would not only provide the U.S. with major economic benefits but create strong momentum in reaffirming Washington’s engagement and leadership in Northeast Asia - where it has significant strategic issues to address. These include security on the Korean Peninsula, the rise of China and the growing uncertainty in the region since many view Washington as too distracted by the Middle East.
With Asia becoming the center of gravity for the world economy, why shouldn’t the United States swiftly improve U.S. market access there?
The FTA would also boost South Korea’s economic benefits - particularly its exports to the U.S. Passage would improve the competitiveness of South Korean companies vis-a-vis other foreign enterprises doing business in the U.S. It would also most likely provide South Korea with the strategic means to compete with China and India - rapidly emerging as Asia’s economic powers.
While some U.S. leaders are concerned that the free-trade agreement would ship U.S. jobs overseas, this is not true. In fact, comparing the volume of investments between the two nations, South Korean investment in the U.S. overwhelmingly surpasses U.S. investment in South Korea.
During 2006 to 2010, for example, the total value of South Korean investments in the U.S. was $22 billion, 2½ times that of U.S investments in South Korea, which were $8.8 billion. The trend of bilateral investments would only increase under this treaty.
But Seoul’s major objective, and biggest benefit, from implementing the trade agreement with the world’s largest economic power would be improving the structure of the South Korean economy. With this FTA, Seoul could strengthen its competitiveness in the midterm and long term through a qualitative upgrade in meeting global business standards - rather than just focusing on a short-term ambition of increasing our U.S. exports.
Owing to South Korea’s success in negotiating FTAs - we now have seven in effect - Seoul’s national competitiveness and foreign market share continue to rise steadily, according to the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Competitiveness Report.
In both countries, important elections are due. In South Korea, our National Assembly election is set for April and our presidential election in December 2012. The U.S. presidential election will be in November 2012. Since 2012 will be filled with major political races in both nations, the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be to effectively discuss trade-agreement implementation.
Thus, we should take action without delay. I welcome the continuing bipartisan progress in the U.S. Congress on this. There is no more time to squander.
Implementation of the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade agreement offers an opportunity to open a new frontier for our alliance. So the longer ratification of this win-win agreement is delayed, the more likely it is that the future-oriented development of the Korea-U.S. alliance will be hampered by drawn-out political disputes.
Jinha Hwang, a member of South Korea’s National Assembly, serves on the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification.