South Korea’s ruling Grand National Party (GNP) ratified an FTA with the US on Tuesday amid violent protests from opposing factions.
The accord, which was first agreed upon in 2007, stands to benefit exporters from both countries, but has been vehemently opposed by farmers and small merchants in Korea.
In order to push the controversial agreement through parliament the GNP called a snap plenary session, according to a report in the New York Times. Many opposition legislators rushed to the session, but were too late to prevent the bill being put through.
In a desperate bid to stall proceedings a legislator opposed to the accord detonated a tear gas canister within the National Assembly chamber. Adding to the mayhem a scuffle then broke out.
Despite the disruptions the vote was cast and the GNP managed to pass the deal in a vote of 151 to 7. The FTA could take effect as soon as 1 January.
“The legislators were passing a bill which will make ordinary people shed bitter tears, so I detonated tear gas so that they too shed tears, even if theirs were fake tears.” Kim Sung-dong of the Korea Democratic Labour Party, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The US approved the accord on 12 October after intense lobbying, not least from US farm and agricultural export groups keen to see a reduction in tariffs on their goods that would put them on a more even playing field with other export nations.
Fruitnet reported in depth on the likely benefits to the US fresh produce industry following the ratification last month by the US.
