South Korean ambassador pushes for free trade agreement - Naperville Sun

August 18, 2010
By Hilary Decent

Addressing Naperville Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday, South Korean Ambassador Han Duk-Soo urged Americans to support free trade between the two countries.

"The U.S.-Korean Free Trade Agreement would bring our alliance into the 21st century," he said. "It will be a new bond that will hold our two countries closer together. I hope you will all join me in waving the flag for this agreement. In the end, success will not come from people like me, it will come from people like you."
 
Han, a former prime minister, deputy prime minister and minister of finance, stopped at Hotel Arista in Naperville as part of the U.S Chamber of Commerce's "The U.S.-Korea Partnership: Growing Jobs Across America" tour. The U.S. chamber is urging members to petition President Obama to approve the pending U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement at the G20 Summit in Seoul in November. It was approved in 2007 by President Bush.
 
"It is has been languishing ever since because of more important policies in Washington, and worries about some parts of it," he said. Many of those concerns, he said, were "misunderstandings."
 
"I hear people argue that our auto industry is closed to imports. There was a time when that was true, but that time has long gone," he said. "As the South Korean ambassador to the U.S., I would like to see more Chryslers and GM cars in Korea than BMWs and Hondas."
 
Ambassador Han said a free trade agreement would benefit the U.S. and Illinois in three ways — jobs, economic growth and security with shared values.
 
"Korea is the third largest importer of agricultural products," he said. "The FTA would give U.S. farmers an advantage. Illinois is the fifth largest exporter of agriculture in the U.S."
 
State Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville, said she believes the agreement will be ratified in November.
 
"I am totally in agreement," she said. "His statistics speak for themselves."
 
Mayor A. George Pradel said the fact that the ambassador chose to speak in Naperville said a lot about the city.
 
"I think the ambassador presented it well. The fact is we do need to have trade with South Korea. He was open and honest and sincere about his relationship with the U.S.," he said.
 
John Schmitt, president and CEO of Naperville Chamber of Commerce, said he was honored Han chose Naperville.
 
"We are very honored to have the ambassador come to Naperville to meet our business community. What's good for Naperville is good for the whole region and good for the whole state."