FTA Between Korea and the U.S.

Finally the FTA(Free Trade Agreement) between Korea and the U.S. has been settled. As you know, there have been a lot of sticky issues, for example, tariffs on cars, screen quota, agricultural products, opening phamarceutical market, beef problems and so on. Still the goverment faces a strong counteraction. Farmers, labor unions, and many parties who will take the disadvantage of the FTA declared they will do their best to prevent it from being approved by parliament. Actually the level 2 negotiation(between goverment and the nation) is much harder than the level 1 negotiation(between goverment and goverment), so it has been delaied for 4 years to be settled.

I can understand why they oppose the FTA and I do not think they should be sacrificed for all. But I think the FTA could be the new growth engine which can generate Korean economy highly. Now Korea stepped new phase of her history. Now we should concentrate on how to take the advantages of the FTA fully. There's no time to quarrel. The goverment has to offer support programs for whom will take the disadvantage and the nation do their best to make Korea stronger and richer with the FTA. Every change brings hard time and the only one who accept and overcome it can survive.

Also for me, this FTA has a great meaning. The Korean economic structure will be changed totally. As a businessman, I should struggle to survive in more keen competition. I should study more, I should compete more toughly. However, I will not abscond from it. I will evolute myself to have core competency and I will be the man who leads the new wave in my field. It's the time to be changed.