US wants South Korea free trade deal by end-2006

Seoul, Mar 07: The United States wants to conclude negotiations for a free trade agreement with South Korea by the end of this year, its chief negotiator to talks set to formally begin in June said today (Mar 07, 2006).

Assistant US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler met with South Korean Ambassador Kim Jong-hoon yesterday in preliminary talks for what would be the biggest US trade pact since the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994.

''Trade promotion authority expires in mid-2007,'' Cutler said, referring, referring to a White House power to negotiate trade deals that Congress can pass or reject but cannot amend.

''And to meet this deadline, my marching orders are to seek to conclude this comprehensive agreement by the end of the year,'' she told a gathering of US business executives in Seoul.

Kim, South Korea's chief negotiator, yesterday said he had set no deadline to the talks between the 72.5 billion dollar trade partners.

Reuters