Text Fwd: S. Korean opposition party leader discusses inter-Korean ties, FTA with U.S. envoy

Yonhap News
S. Korean opposition party leader discusses inter-Korean ties, FTA with U.S. envoy
March 10, 2011

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- The head of South Korea's main opposition party met with the top U.S. envoy in Seoul on Thursday to discuss inter-Korean ties and the free trade deal between South Korea and the U.S., a lawmaker said.

Sohn Hak-kyu, head of the liberal Democratic Party (DP), and U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens had lunch behind closed doors at the ambassador's residence, said DP Rep. Ooh Che-chang, who attended the occasion.

According to Ooh, Sohn told Stephens that President Lee Myung-bak's hard-line policy on North Korea is the "major cause" of the heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula. Ooh relayed that Sohn said he believes North Korea is also at fault, but Lee's tough policy has created problems with inter-Korean business projects and has led to the North's deadly provocations, including its shelling of the western border island of Yeonpyeong last fall and the torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan last March.

Since taking office in early 2008, Lee has cut unconditional aid to Pyongyang and has tied any provision of aid to North Korea's commitment to denuclearization.

Sohn also expressed his misgivings about U.S. President Barack Obama's position on inter-Korean issues, Ooh said, adding that Sohn told Stephens that he grows "quite concerned" when the Obama administration condones such hard-line policy or takes the same position as President Lee. The DP chairman then called on the U.S. to try to bring North Korea back to the table for dialogue, Ooh said.

Stephens said the U.S. will take into account the Seoul-Washington alliance and other factors as it deals with North Korea, according to Ooh.

Ooh quoted Sohn as saying that the "balance of interests" was broken between Seoul and Washington when the two sides revised their free trade pact last month. Sohn also accused trade officials of reneging on their previous pledge not to revise their original deal signed in 2007, according to Ooh.

The revised agreement calls for a delayed phase-out of auto tariffs, among other things, in return for Washington's concessions on pork and medicine.

The Obama administration has repeatedly called for Congress to move quickly to approve the pending free trade agreement with South Korea.

The DP is expected to oppose the ratification at the National Assembly here, but Stephens reportedly told Sohn that it would be a loss for both countries if the deal wasn't ratified.