WASHINGTON, D.C.–Charles Freeman, U.S. Chamber senior vice president for Asia, issued the following statement regarding the United States Trade Representative's first-ever request for consultations under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS).
“The Chamber has long endorsed the inclusion of competition obligations in our trade agreements as jurisdictions around the world too often fall short of providing adequate due process. Access to evidence is a fundamental right, and companies must be provided an opportunity to review and rebut evidence collected and used to support allegations of wrongdoing," said Charles Freeman, U.S. Chamber senior vice president for Asia. "Today’s request for consultations by USTR highlights a very important issue that needs to be addressed by the competition authority in Korea. As Korea is an important economic partner of the United States, American firms have a right to expect due process from any proceeding before the KFTC just as Korean firms already receive here in the United States. Speaking more broadly, today’s announcement also serves as a wake-up call to jurisdictions around the world that due process is more than a best practice, it’s an obligation."
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.
