Renegotiating the KORUS FTA and the Season of Oblivion

Sometimes, I go back and read old newspapers. When I realize that the years I have lived through have been so well documented, the sense of awe that I have for history is renewed. But lately, there is no reason to take the time to find a library so that I can dig up old newspapers. Now, I can quickly find news articles online.

It hasn’t been too long since the KORUSFTA bill was rammed through the National Assembly. The sight of brawling politicians and tear gas filling the conference hall is clearly etched into our memories. Although we insist that it occurred in the past, this was an embarrassingly recent event.

President Lee Myun-bak visited the National Assembly to persuade both the ruling and opposition parties, especially the Democratic Party. The president suggested that “the Assembly agree on ratifying the FTA while also petitioning for a renegotiation to include an investor state dispute settlement provision. This way the U.S. would be required to renegotiate within 3 months.” At a closed Assembly leadership meeting, Lee asked, “Why does the opposition only believe President Obama? Aren’t they supposed to believe the Korean President? If you tell me what to do, I will do everything that I’m capable of. I implore you to keep the nation in mind. Do it so as not to shame our people and our history.”

As you know the KORUSFTA was rammed through the National Assembly soon after the president’s visit. Despite our bureaucrat’s attempts to separate the announcement, even by a day, away from the April 11 election, the announcement was made in mid-March. The announcement date was meant to be the end of March, but we ended up with America’s position.

Although we say that the FTA was rammed through, President Lee has not retracted his promise to the people. And yet, still on June 15, a full three months since the FTA entered into effect, they still say that we must renegotiate, especially on the ISDS [Investor-State Dispute Settlement]. Even if there is progress on renegotiation, four months after effect, what good will it do?

However, the political world does not even recall events from the very, very recent past. It’s as if they have all been stricken with mass amnesia. They say half-jokingly that the status of the bureaucrats who report to the opposition party has gone from bureau chief to a lowly section chief. Since the opposition’s spectacular loss, the bureaucrats have been ejected out. After the elections, it is impossible for the bureaucrats to push their renegotiation agenda, and it is unlikely that the Americans will apply pressure on this issue. However, Korea could try to earnestly seek a renegotiation even if they realize the Americans have no intention of doing so.

At the end of the day, President Lee Myun-bak’s promise to the National Assembly, his promise to the Korean people, was nothing but a fraud. There isn’t much to say about the president’s declaration, except that it was only a trick to sidestep the opposition to ratify the FTA. Since the elections, the bureaucrats have been abusing the political situation that arose following the opposition’s loss. They are blocking the opposition party’s responsibilities. The opposition party cannot shirk their responsibilities. No one followed behind the president’s promises. This is characteristic of the Progressive Party with their perennial in-fighting.

With trickery, incompetence, and shirking of responsibilities, we head toward oblivion. It’s not too late yet. If he has even just one day left in his term, the president must come through on this promise.