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U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow on Tuesday urged Korea to reflect new U.S. trade policy in changes to their bilateral free trade agreement. "Both of us, global leaders in terms of labor and environmental standards, can find a way to reflect a strong commitment to these standards in the (FTA) in the spirit of the recent agreement reached between the administration and the congressional leaderships." Speaking during the Seoul-Washington Forum at a hotel in Seoul, Vershbow said the new U.S. trade policy guidelines would "benefit both sides equally and would not alter the balanced result of our FTA negotiations."
Turning to North Korea and its failure to implement its part of a Feb. 13 denuclearization agreement, the envoy stressed WashingtonĄ¯s patience is not unlimited. "It's time for North Korea to live up to its commitments. The North has a lot to gain by ending its nuclear programs and getting rid of nuclear weapons." As for discussion on a peace framework on the Korean Peninsula, he said if North Korea believes it can get compensation without denuclearization, then the achievements of six-nation talks so far could disappear like a mirage. He said it was "inconceivable" to turn the armistice on the Korean Peninsula into a proper peace framework and normalize relations between the U.S. and North Korea unless there is denuclearization.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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