Hyosung head calls for corporate-led FTA
Korea Times | 26 May 2006
Hyosung Head Calls for Corporate-Led FTA
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
Business leaders in South Korea and Japan need to play an active role in achieving a free trade agreement between the two countries, a Korean conglomerate owner said Thursday.
In his opening speech during the 38th meeting of Korea-Japan businesspeople in Sapporo, Cho Suck-rai, chairman of the Korea-Japan Business Conference and chairman of the Hyosung Group, said Asia should benchmark regional cooperation entities, such as NAFTA and EU, for co-economic development and stable growth.
Saying that the two countries should take on the role of Germany and France for an Asian community, Cho predicted an FTA between them could be a crucial step for Asian countries to launch a joint economic entity.
Historic and political hurdles such as the Dokdo islets are hampering the bilateral cooperation, he said. ``It is lamentable that politicians of both countries fail to settle the disputes.’’
Cho pointed out it is time for businesspeople to foster an amicable atmosphere by pushing ahead with cooperation in the corporate sector.
The meeting, comprising 280 participants from Korea and Japan, will run through Friday in Sapporo.
