U.S. Chamber’s Grassroots Campaign Touting the Benefits of Korea Trade Agreement Reaches Syracuse

More than 16,000 New York Jobs Could be Create if Congress Acts On Trade Deal

SKANEATELES FALLS, NY—Today the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Ambassador Han Duk-soo, Korean Ambassador to the United States, continued its nationwide, grassroots lobbying effort to promote the job-creating benefits of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) by touring Welch Allyn and meeting with business leaders and lawmakers from the area.

“If we’re going to meet the president’s goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next five years, Washington needs to act on the three pending trade agreements,” said Geoff O’Hara, executive director for the U.S. Chamber, referencing pending trade deals with Korea, Panama and Colombia. “It’s time for lawmakers to act, in order to create jobs in New York. Stalling any longer only puts American businesses at a competitive disadvantage around the world.”

Full implementation of the Korea trade agreement could generate nearly 280,000 new jobs – including 16,711 in New York. Conversely, a U.S. Chamber study warned that failing to act on the Korea FTA will cause New York to lose more than 22,000 jobs, while nationwide the job loss will balloon to 345,017.

The United States will likely fall further behind this Friday, when the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement enters into force. This provides European business stronger market access into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

“By standing still on trade, we’re falling behind,” O’Hara said. “If the U.S.-Korea trade agreement is not implemented while our competitors move forward, Congress is forcing New York’s workers, businesses, and farmers to cede the Korean market.”

U.S. government data shows the trade agreement will create new jobs by opening new access for the state’s goods and services in Korea’s $1 trillion economy, and by establishing a level playing field in Korea for New York’s workers and businesses to compete. Implementation of this trade agreement would help medical technology companies like Welch Allyn retain and expand jobs in the United States. By decreasing taxes on devices sold overseas, the agreement would lead to more sales of U.S. products.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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