USA-ITA, Korean Group Join Forces to Support Trade Pact

A group of U.S. apparel importers and a South Korean textile organization have agreed to work together to help get a free-trade agreement between the two countries passed.

The United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel in New York and the Korean Federation of Textile Industries signed a memo of understanding on June 15 to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations. The two groups agreed to work together to eliminate trade barriers and to push forward the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which still must be approved by each country’s legislatures.

The two groups will share information on trade policy issues and intellectual property rights issues.

“Our organizations will continue to work together to open markets and promote business as we have for the past 20 years,” said Laura Jones, executive director of the USA-ITA.

Government officials on both sides signed the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement on June 30, 2007. But it still must be approved by the U.S. Congress and the National Assembly of South Korea.

However, the trade pact has run into opposition. Many South Koreans don’t want to allow beef imports from the United States into their country, fearing a spread of mad cow disease and disruption of the agricultural sector.

Many U.S. auto-industry executives would like to see South Korea ease trade barriers in order to export more U.S. cars to that Asian country.

South Korea is a major manufacturer of textiles used by many U.S. apparel makers, who would like to import those goods free of duties. —Deborah Belgum