Washington (dpa) – A landmark trade deal between the United States and South Korea will enter into force on March 15, US trade officials said Tuesday. US and Korean officials had completed review of each other's laws and regulations over the weekend, clearing the way for the agreement to take effect, the US trade representative said. “In a few short weeks, the promise of the US-Korea trade agreement – including tens of thousands of export-supported jobs with better wages – will start to come home for American businesses and working families,” Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement. Under the deal, 80 per cent of US industrial exports and two-thirds of agricultural products will enter Korea duty-free. President Barack Obama signed the deal into law in October, along with agreements with Panama and Colombia, amid a visit by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. The South Korea trade deal was originally signed in 2007 under his predecessor, George W Bush, and Obama inked a revised version in December 2010. The South Korean Parliament ratified the agreement in November despite repeated attempts by the opposition to disrupt proceedings. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/MAJdD Tags: Korea, Trade, United States Section: East Asia, Latest News, North America
