Like most Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), the US-Korea FTA is a combination of major policy breakthroughs and work-in-progress.如同大多数自由贸易协定（ FTA ） ，韩美自由贸易协定是结合重大的政策突破和工作中的进展。The agreement was reached because President Bush and President Roh said “get it done”; they believe the economic benefits out weigh the political costs of getting the agreement through their respective Congress and National Assembly.达成了协议，因为美国总统布什和卢武铉总统说： “得到伸张” ; ，他们认为经济利益的权衡政治代价获得的协议通过各自的国会和国民议会。The deal will not be completely done until all details are released.该协议将不能完全这样做，直到所有的细节公布。
After working out FTAs with lower-income developing countries like CAFTA-DR and mid-majors countries like Australia, Singapore and Chile, the US had to show it could reach agreement with an industrialized country that is a developing country in name only.经过了自由贸易协定的工作与收入较低的发展中国家如东盟自由贸易区- DR和中期大满贯国家，如澳大利亚，新加坡和智利，美国已经表明它可以达成协议的工业化国家，是一个发展中国家，名存实亡。Korea may have needed the agreement even more than the US It is truly one of the incredible economic success stories of the past 50 years.韩国可能有需要的协议甚至超过美国它确实是一个令人难以置信的经济成功的故事在过去50年里。At the end of the Korean War they were simply a poor country cut off from its more prosperous half.在朝鲜战争结束，而只是一个贫穷的国家切断其更加繁荣的一半。 Per capita income in the south today is 14 times that of the north. Through a combination of aid, trade and industrial development Korea has become the tenth largest economy in the world.通过结合援助，贸易和工业发展已成为韩国第十届世界最大的经济体。Korea’s challenge now is to consolidate its economic gains.韩国现在的挑战是巩固其经济收益。President Roh was quoted in the Wall Street Journal , “If we reject change to protect just one group`s interests or we are complacent with the success we are enjoying now and try to protect what we have, there is no telling as to when other countries will pass us by and advance ahead of us."卢武铉总统援引华尔街日报， “如果我们拒绝改变，以保护只有一个集团的利益，或自满，我们的成功，我们现在正享受着和努力保护我们，有没有人知道何时其他国家将通过我们和推进摆在我们面前。 “
Korea’s economic policy challenges in the US-Korea FTA are reflections of its past.韩国的经济政策面临的挑战韩美自由贸易协定是思考它的过去。In the 1950s and 1960s many developing countries erected high tariff walls to protect agriculture and selected domestic industries and tried to become competitive in low wage export industries like textiles and low end electronics.在50年代和60年代许多发展中国家设置高关税，以保护墙壁农业和选定的国内产业，并试图成为有竞争力的低工资出口行业如纺织品和低端电子产品。As the Korean economy has grown and moved on to higher valued exports like steel, ship building, automobiles, telecommunications equipment, semiconductors and computers, removing the old tariffs has been difficult.随着韩国经济的不断增长和转移到高价值产品出口像钢铁，造船，汽车，电信设备，半导体和电脑，删除旧的关税已困难。Korea only has FTAs with Chile, Singapore, the European Free Trade Area and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.只有韩国与智利自由贸易协定，新加坡，欧洲自由贸易区和东盟。
Just a few days before the announcement of the agreement, the USTR’s office released its National Trade Estimate Report that analyzes by country the trade challenges for the US The report said “Korea imposes tariff rates of 30 percent or higher on most fruits and nuts, many fresh vegetables, starches, peanuts, peanut butter, various vegetable oils, juices, jams, beer and some dairy products.就在几天之前宣布的协议，美国贸易代表办公室公布了国家贸易评估报告，分析国家的贸易的挑战，美国的报告说： “韩国实行关税税率百分之三十或更高的大部分水果及坚果许多新鲜蔬菜，淀粉，花生，花生酱，各种植物油，果汁，果酱，啤酒和一些乳制品。Many products of interest to US suppliers, including apples, beef, certain cheeses, grape juice and grape juice concentrate, herbal teas, pears, table grapes, and a variety of citrus fruits are subject to tariff rates of 35 percent or higher.” Korea also applies prohibitively high tariffs even when there is no domestic production.许多产品感兴趣的美国供应商，包括苹果，牛肉，某些奶酪，葡萄汁和葡萄浓缩汁，草药茶，梨，鲜食葡萄，以及各种柑橘类水果受关税税率的百分之三十五或更高。 “韩国也适用于关税过高时，即使没有国内生产。Korea has some tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) to provide minimum access as required under the Uruguay Round WTO agreement.韩国有一些关税率配额（关税配额）提供最低准入的规定，乌拉圭回合的WTO协议。Over-quota tariff rates for some agricultural products are prohibitive.在配额内关税税率为一些农产品望而却步。Honey is subject to an over-quota tariff rate of 243 percent; skim and whole milk powder, 176 percent; barley, 324 percent; malting barley, 513 percent; potatoes and potato preparations, more than 304 percent; and popcorn, 630 percent.蜂蜜是受过度的配额关税率为百分之243 ;脱脂和全脂奶粉， 176百分之;大麦，百分之324 ;啤酒大麦，百分之513 ;土豆和马铃薯的准备工作，超过百分之304 ;和爆米花，百分之630 。
Half of current US agricultural exports to Korea will immediately become duty free.目前一半的美国农产品出口韩国将立即成为免税品。Others will have two year and five year phase outs.其他将有两年和五年的阶段出局。Some products will have expanded TRQs.有些产品将扩大关税配额。A few items like beef will have a 15 year tariff phase out.有几个项目，如牛肉将有一个15年逐步取消关税。Streamlined customs procedures should also allow for integrated supply chains from the US to Korea.简化海关程序也应该允许进行综合的供应链从美国到韩国。
Reducing tariffs on agricultural products which average 52 percent is a political problem with farmers, but an economic benefit for consumers.降低农产品关税平均百分之五十二是一个政治问题同农民，而是一个经济利益的消费者。Agriculture accounts for only 3 percent of Korea’s GDP and 6.4 percent of the labor force.农业只占百分之三韩国的国内生产总值的百分之六点四的劳动力。These are more similar to developed counties than developing ones.这些都是更接近发达国家比发展中国家。Reductions in import tariffs on food will result in an improvement in the standard of living of consumers due to lower food costs.降低进口关税将导致食品在改善生活水平的消费者由于较低的食品价格。By one estimate, excluding rice from the FTA will reduce by almost half the net benefits of the FTA.根据一项估计，不包括大米从自由贸易协定将减少近一半的净利益的自由贸易协定。Korean rice prices are among the highest in the world and four times rice prices in China.韩国大米价格最高的国家之一，在世界和4次大米价格在中国。Korea holds the price high to protect producers as consumption declines as consumers diversify diets.韩国拥有很高的价格，以保护生产者的消费下降，因为消费者多样化的饮食。
The exclusion of rice from the FTA is not a fatal flaw.排除大米从自由贸易协定不是一个致命的缺陷。Under the Uruguay Round Agreement, Korea is exempted from setting a tariff rate quota for rice in return for establishing minimum market access that increased from 51,307 tons in 1995 to 225,228 tons in 2004, 4 percent of domestic consumption.根据乌拉圭回合协定，韩国是制定免交关税率配额的大米，以换取建立最低市场准入，增加从五一三〇七吨在1995年二二五二二八吨在2004年，百分之四的国内消费。Korea had an option to extend the agreement for another 10 years.韩国选择了延长协议的另一个10年。The new agreement requires addition market access to grow to 408,700 tons by 2014.新协议还需要市场准入将增长到四十○点八七万吨到2014年。
Beef trade will be a true test of the “new” Korea.牛肉贸易将是一个真正的考验“新的”韩国。Korea has the highest retail beef prices in the world.朝鲜最高零售牛肉价格在世界上。US imports were stopped in December of 2003 due to BSE.美国停止进口在2003年12月因疯牛病。The US government has pried open the market a little, but Korea is using a zero tolerance for small bone chips to reject US beef.美国政府已撬开开放市场一点点，但韩国使用的是零容忍的小碎骨拒绝美国牛肉。The FTA has language on strengthening protection against technical barriers to trade, including reliance on international standards that are consensus-based.自由贸易区已语言关于加强保护，防止贸易技术壁垒，包括依赖于国际标准，协商一致的基础上。This will be tested in late May when the World Organization for Animal Health is expected to designate the United States a "controlled-risk" region for BSE making it eligible for normal trade.这将是测试在5月底时，世界动物健康组织预计将指定美国的“控制风险”地区的疯牛病使符合条件的正常贸易。A positive outcome would indicate that the Korean government will use import regulations to create opportunities for consumer rather than protecting producers.一个积极的结果将表明，韩国政府将利用进口条例，以创造更多的机会，而不是消费者保护生产者。
The agreement could be side-tracked by hundreds of issues on either side.该协议可以边跟踪数百个问题的任何一方。The US Congress and the Korean National Assembly need to focus on the historic opportunities for both countries to open up markets for consumers rather allow their protectionist pasts to stymie progress.美国国会和韩国国民大会必须把重点放在了历史性机会，这两个国家开放市场为消费者而不是让他们的保护主义阻碍历史的进步。
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