OPPOSITION LAWMAKER KIM BOO-KYUM ON BEEF, FTA, UDP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000977 SIPDIS PASS USTR FOR CUTLER, TRICK AND YOO E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KN KS SUBJECT: OPPOSITION LAWMAKER KIM BOO-KYUM ON BEEF, FTA, UDP FUTURE Classified By: POL Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Recently re-elected to a third term, United Democratic Party (UDP) lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum told poloff over a May 13 lunch that he believed controversy surrounding the reopening of the Korean market to U.S. beef would blow over. Also, he explained that there were several non-binding resolutions that the UDP hoped to propose, including demands for a renegotiation of the beef agreement and for the Agriculture Minister to step down. These resolutions were "just for political show" since the National Assembly had no power to influence these executive actions by the central government. Kim, a Sohn Hak-kyu supporter, is running for floor leader of the UDP. END SUMMARY -------------- SPECIAL SESSION AND BEYOND -------------- ¶2. (C) Over lunch with poloff on May 13, UDP lawmaker Kim Boo-kyum said a few laws would pass during the special session that wraps up May 24 but that it would be impossible for the KORUS FTA to pass. He noted the only reason the Lee Myung-bak government was pushing for May ratification was so they could blame the Roh government for any mistakes in the FTA or the related negotiating process that might come under fire. This urgency to pass the FTA has only emerged after the Lee government saw the difficulties surrounding the beef agreement, Kim claimed. ¶3. (C) Kim said the UDP should support the Lee government when it put forward good policies. With no elections until the local elections in spring 2010, the first order of business was getting the country running well. If Lee continued to manage the country like a CEO without leading "like a patriot" the UDP would sweep the 2010 elections. Plans like the "ridiculous" grand canal and other Lee policies that were wrong-headed, the UDP would naturally oppose. If the UDP supported reasonable laws proposed by the Lee government and focused less on knee-jerk criticism of Lee and more on preparing a new vision for Korea, the UDP could regain support over time. -------------- BEEF NEXT STEPS -------------- ¶4. (C) Kim said that hearings scheduled for May 13-14 to discuss the KORUS FTA in the National Assembly would focus almost entirely on the controversy surrounding the agreement to reopen Korea's market to U.S. beef. Kim said the debate over beef was only natural because so many Korean people believed U.S. beef was potentially dangerous. The fears that had sparked protests were "nonsense" but that was the current reality. He pointed out that he had made no public comments on the beef issue despite repeated requests from reporters, because he understood that the agreement was signed and therefore there was nothing he could do. He wished the ROKG had negotiated for a gradual opening of the market, but knew the agreement could not be renegotiated. ¶5. (C) The UDP would likely propose non-binding resolutions demanding the central government renegotiate the beef agreement and change the Minister of Agriculture but these had no meaning and no practical effect, Kim explained. As soon as the 17th National Assembly ended, these resolutions would be forgotten, if they pass at all. -------------- KIM'S PLACE IN THE PARTY -------------- ¶6. (C) Kim said he was one of three lawmakers running for the floor leader position in UDP elections scheduled for May 26-7. Each of the 81 recently elected UDP members will have a vote. Kim said many of his close colleagues were from the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) (Note: Kim left the GNP in ¶2003. End Note) and that his chances for election were not great. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) Kim is a reasonable progressive lawmaker whose role had been limited in the party by his past affiliation with the GNP. With his convincing re-election for a third term and the emergence of former GNP lawmaker and Governor Sohn Hak-kyu as UDP Chairman, Kim and the centrist platform he represents could play a more important role in the UDP and the National Assembly. VERSHBOW