Schwab said the deal “will stand on its own, without amendment.” "The Democrat-controlled Congress will come to understand the details and learn just how compelling a deal it is,” she added. Kim urged the two parliaments to ratify the deal as soon as possible. "Some people are trying to thwart the Korea-U.S. FTA for a more stable future, but that is far from the truth,” he said. The FTA will come into effect when the two parliaments ratify it.

Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab shake hands after signing a bilateral free trade agreement at the Cannon House Office Building on Saturday./Yonhap

U.S. President George W. Bush in a statement welcomed the signing of the FTA and urged Congress to ratify it. "This agreement will generate export opportunities for U.S. farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and service suppliers, promote economic growth and the creation of better paying jobs in the United States and help American consumers save money while offering them greater choices,” he said.

But Democrat leaders in the House of Representatives -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, majority leader Steny Hoyer, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel and subcommittee chairman Sander Levin -- expressed opposition in a statement on the eve of the signing. They said they “cannot support” the FTA “as currently negotiated.” They feel it fails to address trade barriers for American cars in the Korean market. "Last year, South Korea exported more than 700,000 cars into the U.S., while the United States exported fewer than 5,000," they said.

(englishnews@chosun.com )