Korea-U.S. FTA

The Korea-U.S. FTA, Food Safety, and Food Security

Here are two papers criticizing Korea-U.S. FTA for provisions the authors think will reduce the confidence people can have in the safety of their food supplies.  Both are advocacy pieces from groups and persons opposed to the agreement, and neither provides much analysis of it.

Updated CRS Report on the Korea-U.S. FTA

William Cooper and Mark Manyin have updated their Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on the Korea-U.S. FTA: The Proposed South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) (July 18, 2007) to reflect the content of the final agreement.  Here's the abstract: 

KFTA Assessment from Jeffrey Schott

The Peterson Institute has released an assessment of the FTA by Jeffrey Schott: The Korea-US Free Trade Agreement: A Summary Assessment (Policy Brief 07-7, August 2007).

Schott is a supporter.  This survey is tightly focused on a few issues.  Separate sections deal with autos, agriculture, services, the Kaesong industrial complex, implications for trade relations in the Asia-Pacific, and the prospects for ratification in the U.S.  Schott doesn't draw on, or add to, the general equilbrium modeling.  The abstract:

What Korea Needs To Do To Continue to Grow

Marcus Noland explains some of the choices facing Koreans - if they want to continue to grow their economy - in this op-ed: Capitalism in Korea: A Model for the New Millennium (Korea Herald via Peterson Institute, July 24):

The WSJ Likes the KFTA

The Wall Street Journal editorialized in favor of the FTA today: Trading Without America (August 7).  Sure, the deal is a "big new opportunity for American goods," but the Journal editorial seems to place more emphasis the political impacts:

Legal Services Reform in Korea

The Wall Street Journal editorializes about legislation under consideration in Korea's National Assembly that would liberalize the Korean legal market: Free the Lawyers (August 6).  Hoon Lee, at the "Korean Legal News," had a pessimistic take on the new statute a few days ago: The New Foreign Legal Consultants Bill -- creating more problems than offering solutions? (July 20).

Brendon Carr, at the "Korea Law Blog," provides a very useful, paragraph-by-paragraph, analysis of the Journal's editorial.: Wall Street Journal on Korea Legal Market Opening: “Free the Lawyers” (August 6).

Vertebral Bone Found in Beef

A piece of vertebral bone was found in beef shipped to Korea: Unauthorized material in U.S. beef bound to S.Korea (Reuters, August 1):