Trump says could 'hold up' South Korea trade deal for North Korea issue
- 6 years ago
U.S. President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows with his latest comments on the amendment to the South Korea-U.S. free trade deal.
Speaking before a crowd of union builders on Thursday in Ohio, Trump said he may "hold up" the recently amended FTA... until a deal is made with North Korea.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
Before the ink has even dried on the newly amended South Korea-U.S FTA,... President Trump said he may 'hold up' the trade deal in order to use the deal as leverage in any upcoming negotiations with North Korea and their nuclear program.
Calling it a 'strong card',... Trump made it clear how he wants to use the trade deal.
"Just this week we secured a wonderful deal with South Korea. (cut) And I may hold it up till after a deal is made with North Korea. Does everybody understand that? You know why, right? You know why? Because it's a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly and we're moving along very nicely with North Korea we'll see what happens."
Observers say it's unclear how holding up the trade deal with South Korea, one of America's closest allies, could help the U.S. in dealing with North Korea.
This comes as U.S. diplomats have emphasized that any meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un would simply be a meeting,... and not a formal negotiation on the North's nuclear weapons program.
Meanwhile... the South Korean government on Thursday demanded the U.S. correct a recent statement on the U.S. Trade Representative website, stating that the U.S. Treasury Department is leading discussions on currency with South Korea's finance ministry. Adding to the dispute was a fact sheet issued by the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday,... stating that 'a memorandum of understanding is being finalized on robust provisions to prohibit competitive devaluation and exchange rate manipulation.'
According to Seoul's Ministry of Strategy and Finance,... the exchange rate issue is entirely unrelated to the FTA, as such an agreement would likely deal a heavy blow to South Korea as it's such an export-dependent economy.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
Speaking before a crowd of union builders on Thursday in Ohio, Trump said he may "hold up" the recently amended FTA... until a deal is made with North Korea.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
Before the ink has even dried on the newly amended South Korea-U.S FTA,... President Trump said he may 'hold up' the trade deal in order to use the deal as leverage in any upcoming negotiations with North Korea and their nuclear program.
Calling it a 'strong card',... Trump made it clear how he wants to use the trade deal.
"Just this week we secured a wonderful deal with South Korea. (cut) And I may hold it up till after a deal is made with North Korea. Does everybody understand that? You know why, right? You know why? Because it's a very strong card and I want to make sure everyone is treated fairly and we're moving along very nicely with North Korea we'll see what happens."
Observers say it's unclear how holding up the trade deal with South Korea, one of America's closest allies, could help the U.S. in dealing with North Korea.
This comes as U.S. diplomats have emphasized that any meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un would simply be a meeting,... and not a formal negotiation on the North's nuclear weapons program.
Meanwhile... the South Korean government on Thursday demanded the U.S. correct a recent statement on the U.S. Trade Representative website, stating that the U.S. Treasury Department is leading discussions on currency with South Korea's finance ministry. Adding to the dispute was a fact sheet issued by the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday,... stating that 'a memorandum of understanding is being finalized on robust provisions to prohibit competitive devaluation and exchange rate manipulation.'
According to Seoul's Ministry of Strategy and Finance,... the exchange rate issue is entirely unrelated to the FTA, as such an agreement would likely deal a heavy blow to South Korea as it's such an export-dependent economy.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.