South Korea wants to buy North Carolina pork

McGEE’S CROSSROADS -- Foreign diplomats in suits look a bit out of place amid the pig barns and swine lagoons on a Johnston County hog farm.

But South Korean Ambassador Han Duk-soo counts himself a fan of American agriculture. He's eager to see the pork from John Langdon's Johnston farm wind up on plates in his home country.

Such trade will take legislation from Congress, though, and Han is taking his lobbying efforts directly to the Americans who could benefit.

The soft-spoken diplomat and former prime minister is traveling across the United States touting the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which aims to reduce tariffs and open Korean markets to American agriculture and other products. On Tuesday, Han toured the Langdon family's farm off Interstate 40. He spent the morning riding around in Langdon's SUV, quizzing the third-generation farmer about how he raises pigs.

"It's very scientific and environmentally friendly," Han said as hogs squealed in the barn behind him. "I think there will be much more demand from Korea."

Proponents of the treaty say it will open up South Korea's 49 million consumers to U.S. exports, including pork. Deborah Johnson of the N.C. Pork Council expects the treaty will increase profits by $10 per pig, because Korea now has tariffs of up to 49 percent. If the treaty fails in Congress, Johnson said, American pork producers won't be selling there in the future. "We can't lose international markets like the Korean market," she said.

Union opposition

Han said that Congress needs to pass the agreement by August, because Korea has similar pacts going into effect this summer with the European Union and others.

"Now, I think we are near the finish line," Han said. "We should make all efforts to put this through as soon as possible."

Approval of the agreement isn't certain. Several labor unions, including the Teamsters and AFL-CIO, oppose the trade deal, though it has support from the Obama administration. The unions compare it to the controversial North American Free Trade Agreement, orNAFTA, and they say it will send more than 100,000 American jobs overseas.

Opponents of the deal also aren't happy that Korea limits American beef imports, though the treaty drops American tariffs on beef imported from Korea. The Langdon family also raises cattle, but Han didn't tour that operation.

Langdon told the visitors that the bulk of his profits come from pigs - he raises about 10,000 of them through a contract with Murphy-Brown and Smithfield Foods Inc. "The hog farm and the relationship with Murphy-Brown is what pays our bills here," Langdon said.

Chamber's role

Han's visit to North Carolina was set up by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They've taken Han and other ambassadors, including one from China, across the United States promoting free trade. The Korean treaty and several others were signed four years ago but haven't been ratified by Congress. The chamber hopes stirring up pressure from constituents could speed the process in Washington.

"We call it our grass-roots program," said the chamber's Tami Overby. "[Han's] seen more of America in the year we've been doing this than most ambassadors see in a four- to five-year posting."