The Korean National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade approved the KORUS FTA in April, 2009, clearing the way for consideration by the full National Assembly. That's as far as its gotten.
Now the Assembly's research arm asserts that:
...the FTA includes a clause stating that all annexes and supporting documents "form an inextricable part" of the agreement, implying that renegotiations on any portion of the deal obligate parliament to review the entire pact once again.
As a result:
...any amendments to its current accord with the U.S. will cause parliament to scrap the original version, which has not yet received approval, and consider the new version for ratification.
This has implications for the current negotiation:
Meanwhile, the ruling Grand National Party has asked the government to aim for a revised agreement that does not require reendorsement by the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and trade, citing concerns that the additional step could create further backlash from rival parties opposed to the FTA.
Any changes to U.S. FTA to require new ratification process: think tank, Yonhap, November 15, 2010
The story only mentions the Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee, but I remember 2009 action by a Judiciary Committee as well. What is the normal process for legislative action to ratify and implement a trade agreement in Korea?
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