Say goodbye to more USA jobs: White House finalizes free trade deal with Korea

[variablebinary]

Free trade is code for the American worker taking it in the ass. At this point and time there is no way in hell we should be setting up more mass exportation of jobs.

Read the whole thing here

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/05/r...deal-with-kor/

Ford and Chrysler spoke out against the agreement in its current form due to the large automotive trade gap between the two countries. Through August of this year, the trade deficit sat at $6.8 billion dollars, up from $4.8 billion in 2009, and Korean automakers have imported a reported 411,000 vehicles Stateside compared to only 7,600 U.S. vehicles that were brought to Korea.

[Bolt_Overide]

same old crap from the same old crooks.

[VooDoo6Actual]

Not good.

[Gutshot John]

You forgot to include the following from your link:

A big reason Detroit metal doesn't sell in Korea is the country's eight percent tariff on autos, compared to a 2.5 percent tariff for auto imports to the U.S. Korean ambassador to the U.S. Han Duk-Soo says that removing the larger tax on U.S. vehicles will help sell more Motown Metal and points to the fact that European and Japanese automakers export about 80,000 vehicles to Korea annually as proof.

We gained more than the Koreans did in this deal.

The EU recently signed an FTA with ROK, Japan already has one, China is currently in talks.

All of those countries would have had a trade advantage had we not signed one.

[TY44934]

Gutshot John is actually right about this one. At a minimum, we would have been at a disadvantage had we not signed this one.

Believe what you want about free trade. Fact is, this agreement benefits us.

[variablebinary]

Gutshot John is actually right about this one. At a minimum, we would have been at a disadvantage had we not signed this one.

Believe what you want about free trade. Fact is, this agreement benefits us.

Like Mexico, right?

Tunnel vision. Free trade isn't just about cars.

[Artos]

The korean's are tuff business folks to deal with...they are not team players so to speak other than setting up shop and hiring direct labor workers.

I've tried to quote numberous items from korean owned companies and purchasing acts really cordial and happy to see new local suppliers, but their prints are impossible to quote as you can't get OEM parts and specs crossed to get component pricing. They do this to keep their fellow korean suppliers pockets lined.

I guess you could say they prefer to only scratch eachother's backs instead of truly getting invested in the area.

[A-Bear680]

I dunno.
The paperwork that came with our Santa Fe stated:
30+ % of the parts were from Us/Canada .
60+ % of the parts were from the ROK .
Assembied in Alabama .

A big auto plant opened north of Ft . Benning a few months ago. I haven't heard any bitching about it so far.

( Shrugs )

My Ford Ranger has some Canadian parts and a tranny from the land of snail & cheese surrender monkies . And Nazi SS Division Karl der Gross -- AKA Charlemagne .

Might not hurt to go to youtube and search for South Korean Zaytun Division South Kurdistan Northern Iraq and see what pops up.

[Gutshot John]

Like Mexico, right?

Tunnel vision. Free trade isn't just about cars.

Yes like Mexico. Mexico is the third biggest market for US goods after Canada and China.

[A-Bear680]

The ROK is one of the top 5 customers for US military weapons & gear sales.
They can make their own stuff ( and do ) but some things are an interop issue , like with NATO .