Obama would submit the Korea-U.S. FTA to Congress next year?

Yonhap News Agency reports that an aide to the Obama campaign said Saturday that a President Obama would submit the trade agreement with South Korea to Congress early next year, assuming certain preconditions are met: Obama to Submit Korean Free Trade Pact for Ratification in 2009.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama will submit a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the U.S. for ratification early next year if he is elected on Nov. 4, his foreign policy adviser said Saturday.

The adviser, Frank Jannuzi, set several preconditions, however, including the "strengthening of the access of American automobile exports to Korea, taking steps to make sure workers who might lose their jobs will get job training and unemployment and health insurance, and solving the beef issue"....

"I will tell you honestly that Senator Obama opposes the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement as it is drafted because he felt it failed to address some key things that need to be addressed," Jannuzi said in a speech to a gathering of Korean-Americans in Annandale, Virginia.

The aide, however, said the Illinois senator's opposition is "not forever," adding Obama supports free trade and that "as president, he will do the things necessary to see its ratification is possible."

Jannuzi singled out the beef issue, saying that it "has mostly been solved but we've got still a little bit more to do. But, if these issues are addressed, I am confident Senator Obama will submit the Korea-U.S. agreement successfully to Congress for its approval and I hope it will happen early next year."

This is a big surprise to me if its true.  Jannuzi is described in the Council of Foreign Relations biographical sketch at the link as the chief East Asian advisor to Democrats on the Foreign Relations committee, reporting in that capacity to Sen Biden.

Comments

[Shawn in Tokyo]

That would be great, if true. I think the key will be whether there is support in Congress, but it could be they are purposely holding off until next year in order to avoid providing Bush any last minute victories at the end of his term.

[Judah]

This should come as no surprise. Its no different from Max Baucus', Charlie Rangel's, or Sandy Levin's positions: KORUS can pass once beef and autos are fixed. If those were easy to fix, it would have been up for a vote this year.