The South Korean ambassador to the U.S. says he is confident Congress will approve the pending free trade agreement (FTA) with his country.
According to the U.S. congressional newspaper “The Hill” on Friday, Ambassador Han Duk-Soo said negotiations over the finalized text of the agreement have been completed and he expects both sides will sign the deal soon.
Han told reporters at a lunch hosted by the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) that there will be no further negotiations, as the terms of the deal have been set.
Han said South Korea’s goal is to see Congress pass the trade deal “as soon as possible.” He added that approval by Congress is expected to prompt South Korea’s legislature to sign off on it as well.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk has said that the administration of President Barack Obama wants the U.S. trade agreement to be moved through Congress before July, which is when the FTA between South Korea and the European Union is expected to go into effect.