Hong Junpyo Criticizes: "Opposed FTA, Now Praising 15% Tariff Deal?"

Hong Junpyo Criticizes Lee Jaemyung Administration's Tariff Negotiation Deal with the US
"'Zero Tariff' Korea-US FTA Was Opposed Due to Mad Cow Disease Rumors"

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo has continued to criticize the Lee Jaemyung administration's settlement on tariff negotiations with the United States. He points out that while the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which he previously led, implemented a zero-tariff policy but faced opposition due to the spread of mad cow disease rumors, the current administration is praising itself for negotiating a 15% tariff.

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers

On August 1, Hong Junpyo stated on his Facebook page, "The ratification of the Korea-US FTA, which has brought in hundreds of trillions over the past 14 years with zero tariffs, was opposed by causing national chaos with mad cow disease rumors and even setting off tear gas in the National Assembly in front of extreme leftists." He criticized the Lee Jaemyung administration, saying, "Is an administration that claims it 'performed well' just because it signed a 15% tariff agreement after coming to power really a normal administration?" He added, "A nation that forgets has no future."

The previous day, Hong Junpyo also said, "When I was the ruling party leader in October 2011 and was pushing for the Korea-US FTA, they incited the entire nation with mad cow disease rumors and called me a traitor," and criticized the government by saying, "Back then, they opposed the Korea-US FTA with a zero-tariff policy, but now they are praising themselves for negotiating a 15% tariff." He added, "Some celebrities even said they would rather eat cyanide than American beef," and pointed out, "Despite all that uproar, Korea is now the country that imports the most American beef."

Meanwhile, the government announced the previous day that, in negotiations with the United States, it agreed to lower mutual tariffs on Korean products from 25% to 15% in exchange for promising to establish a $350 billion (about 419 trillion won) investment fund for the United States. Tariffs on automobiles were also agreed to be set at 15%. The additional opening of the agricultural and livestock markets, which the US side had requested, was not included.