Korea has accepted a US request to review parts of a free trade agreement that has been roundly criticised by US lawmakers since it was struck earlier this year, a Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday.
"It is only an additional consultation," a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, adding that Seoul still planned to sign the agreement in Washington on June 30. US lawmakers have warned that the deal, the biggest US trade pact in 15 years, would face difficulty in getting required congressional approval unless parts are revised. Many from auto-producing US states say the agreement would give South Korea a one-sided advantage to export more cars to the United States.
This has put pressure on the Bush administration, whose "fast track" authority to broker trade deals expires at the end of June. It is still unclear if the Democratic-controlled Congress will extend or alter the authority.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry official said US trade negotiators would visit Seoul from Thursday for talks on seven sectors - labour, environment, essential security, pharmaceuticals, labour-related government procurement, harbour safety and investment.
The initial agreement was reached in April after nine months of negotiations and despite protests from South Korean farmers fearing a flood of cheaper US farm products.
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