This result is worrying because it brings trade policy back to the 1980s and uses an instrument that operates outside current international rules. The commitment to unrelated national security issues to push Korea to make concessions marks a new approach to trade negotiations, which we will likely see more of the Trump administration. Finally, the agreement lacks, among other things, provisions to combat monetary manipulation that the United States has sought in other recent trade negotiations. At first, it appeared that the United States was insisting on korus provisions similar to those agreed in a subsidiary letter to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement, which the United States negotiated but subsequently withdrew.39 The Trump administration was then able to include monetary provisions in the renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement. 40 Despite an earlier discussion on a chapter of the currency of KORUS41, the final KORUS, renegotiated, says nothing about monetary issues. However, Korea has stated that it will begin disclosing its foreign exchange transactions. The Republican Party referred to a $20 billion increase in annual bilateral trade, proof that both countries would benefit economically from removing trade barriers, referring to the United States-Korea. Trade agreements are an example of the benefits of free trade at a time of increasing economic globalization. The third round of discussions, which took place in March, coincided with the Trump administration`s announcement of new steel tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Korea negotiated a tariff exemption in exchange for approval of the limitation of steel exports to the United States. The two sides also discussed the continued opening of the Korean market to U.S.
pharmaceuticals. The two governments appeared to take a more diplomatic approach to the talks to avoid complications at the upcoming korea-U.S.-North Korea summit.14 On March 28, Korea and the United States issued a joint statement announcing that they had “reached an agreement in principle on the terms and conditions of the changes and amendments to the free trade agreement between the United States and the Republic of Korea.” 15 Both parties signed the renegotiated trade agreement on September 24, 2018.16 The December 2010 agreement was a compromise between the two parties. Major concessions have been made to the United States in the auto trade: tariff reductions for Korean cars have been delayed by five years and American cars have benefited from wider access to the Korean market. At the same time, negotiators agreed to set aside for now the differences of opinion on U.S. beef exports.
