Prime Minister Han Deok-soo answers questions from lawmakers during a plenary session on the economy held at the National Assembly on the 21st. [사진=연합뉴스]
The government bowed its head over the controversy over the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
On the 21st, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo criticized Kim Tae-nyeon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, ‘what did our government do at a time when the IRA bill was being discussed in the National Assembly with the US government?’ I am very sorry and apologetic,” he said.
Prime Minister Han said, “Even during the previous administration, since the state of the ‘Better Reconstruction (BBB)’ bill, I have been of the opinion that such a decision should not be made to Congress or related institutions, such as the ambassadors in Washington. I think there was, and that’s how they did it,” he said. He further explained, “It was passed by the Senate on August 4th and the House of Representatives on August 12th as a result of not moving for a while and then suddenly moving.”
Prime Minister Han said, “On August 9, an official from the Department of Industry at the US embassy met and talked with the US Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and the Economic Corporation to the United States met and talked with the US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs.” “On August 10, the head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters sent a letter regarding trade to the representative of the US Trade Representative (USTR), and on the 11th, the Counselor of the U.S. Embassy met with the USTR representative and continued to raise the issue.”
As the US announces the ‘Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)’, Korean electric vehicles will be excluded from subsidies in the US from next year. It is inevitable that domestic related industries such as Hyundai Motor Group will be hit. The government has repeatedly said that it was difficult to ‘immediate response’, using excuses from the US.
As criticism of the ‘procrastination response’ pours in from the automobile industry, the government is belatedly setting up a joint delegation to prepare supplementary and countermeasures, but it is not easy.
Prime Minister Han said, “Of course, I had contact related to the National Security Council (NSC) side of the White House. It was recognized as an important issue and the government was doing its best,” he said.
When asked whether President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was visiting New York to attend the UN General Assembly, met with US President Joe Biden to discuss the IRA, Prime Minister Han replied, “Of course, we expect to discuss it because it is an important task for us.”
- reporter information
- Jo Ara
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