Korea–US Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
Also called: KORUS FTA
The Roh Moo-hyun government concluded a free trade agreement with the United States, which took effect in 2012 after renegotiation and ratification.
The Korea–Chile FTA, negotiated from the Kim Dae-jung government on, took effect in 2004 as Korea's first. The Roh Moo-hyun government opened FTA talks with the US in 2006, concluded them in April 2007 and signed in June. Farmers and civic groups opposed it strongly, fearing damage to agriculture and the opening of the public sector.
Under Lee Myung-bak the automobile provisions and others were renegotiated in 2010; after ratification by the National Assembly in November 2011, the agreement took effect on 15 March 2012.