2012-2-22

Washington has welcomed the news... that a start date has been set... but Seoul's politicians remain divided over the issue.

U.S.Trade Representative Ron Kirk says... the U.S-Korea free trade agreement will bring all good things... The long awaited trade pact will strengthen the economic partnership between the two countries,... support tens of thousands of jobs... and help Washington achieve its goal of doubling exports by 2015.

The head of America's National Cattlemen's Beef Association also says that,... once tariffs on U.S. beef products are eliminated.... over the next 15 years,... American beef will be a more affordable and appealing choice for Korean consumers... praising the trade pact as the most monumental bilateral deal the industry has ever witnessed.

But it's a different story here in Korea.

Despite the likely benefits to the Korean auto and electronics industries, the trade pact has become a political hot potato. With fewer than 50 days to go until the April general election,... the opposition party is pushing for the pact to be repealed.

Korea's Deputy Minister for FTA negotiations Choi Seok-young said Wednesday that... the date was set without politics in mind... however reaction from the National Assembly has been mixed.

Following the trade ministry's announcement Tuesday,... the ruling Saenuri Party released a short statement saying... that the party hopes the pact will benefit all Koreans... and promote the national interest.

However, on the other side of the political aisle,... the Democratic United Party's floor leader Kim Jin-pyo said Wednesday that the timing of the announcement, could ONLY be seen as a political move.

The main opposition party said earlier this month that... unless the whole deal is renegotiated... it will seek renegotiation of the pact if it wins a majority of seats in April's elections.