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Despite agreeing with Lee about obstructing North Korea¡¯s nuclear ambitions, Obama also made it clear that a free trade agreement with South Korea is not a priority of his administration.
Obama did not mention the South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in his opening remarks. Lee said he and Obama discussed it ¡°and welcomed the initiation of working-level consultations to make progress on the issues surrounding the ... FTA and agreed to make joint efforts to chart our way forward on the agreement.¡±
Obama demurred(¹Ý´ëÇÏ´Ù, ÀÌÀǸ¦ Á¦±âÇÏ´Ù), saying, ¡°Once we have resolved some of the substantive issues, then there¡¯s going to be the issue of political timing and when that should be presented to Congress.¡±
Obama said he was ¡°committed to moving forward on a path that will increase commercial ties that are very strong between our two countries,¡± but added that, when it comes to pushing Congress, he does not want to put ¡°the cart before the horse.¡±