Wendy Cutler for President

At this point, I oppose the FTA  because Korea does not seem to be serious about opening its markets fundamentally.  Nor do  I  believe that  Korea should be rewarded for  doing so much to demagogue anti-Americanism, or to  undermine U.S. national security interests or  the humanitarian imperatives of the North Korean people.  Those are the reasons I don’t buy things made in Korea these days, and I know that the FTA would  instead reward Korea’s worst politicians and labor unions  by flooding our markets with their products.  I do think that in the longer term, the FTA is good for both countries, and that we should revisit the topic in a few years if and when Korea returns to its senses.  For now, I’ll probably get my wish.  The whole thing seems exceedingly unlikely in an election year in both countries, with the Democrats controlling Congress.

Lay that aside, however, and just study the tone of Ms. Cutler’s reponses.  Ms. Cutler is  the chief U.S. negotiator, and is with the  Office of the U.S. Trade  Representative.  Ms. Cutler is tough, blunt, and direct, yet diplomatic.  Put that into the context of her  boss’s previous  comments on Kaesong (a dead issue if there ever was one, although many South Korean politicians  still won’t dismount the heap of bleached bones).  The OUSTR  captures exactly the kind of  businesslike tone I’ve suggested adopting on  security, diplomatic, and human rights  issues,  without the  saccharine about a “strong,” “enduring” alliance that obviously is not.  Assertions that  diminish our credibility and the gravity of the interests that South Korea is flouting do not strengthen the alliance; they weaken it.