[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                            TRADE WITH KOREA

 Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I rise today, the day United States 
Trade Representative Mickey Kantor is testifying before the Senate 
Finance Committee about overall United States trade policy, to bring to 
the attention of the Senate an injustice to American companies 
exporting to South Korea. Time after time, American companies are 
confronted with nontariff barriers that impede their ability to compete 
in the South Korean market.
  One of my constituents, the M/M Mars' Co., which makes Mars candy 
bars and employs over 900 Tennesseans, is a strong example of an 
American company exporting their product, attempting to comply with the 
domestic requirements in South Korea and encountering headache after 
headache in the process. I am disturbed about this problem not only 
because it affects many Tennesseans, but because it also strains the 
relationship between American companies and South Korea.
  The most recent incident is a new labeling requirement imposed by the 
South Korean Ministry of Health. If Korea had notified the appropriate 
parties and given the company a reasonable amount of time to comply 
with the new regulations, then I would not be here today. However, 
despite United States protest and Korean acknowledgement of its 
``failure to notify,'' the Korean Ministry of Health refuses to agree 
to a moratorium on the requirement, which would allow the company 
sufficient time to comply with the new regulations.
  Mr. President, I am not asking for South Korea to change its policy. 
I am asking for them to comply with their obligation under article X of 
the World Trade Organization and publish regulations affecting trade 
and administer them in a ``uniform, impartial and reasonable manner.'' 
I am also asking them to realize this injustice and provide a 
moratorium to allow entry to the remaining unlabeled shipments of M/M 
Mars products and give the company time to relabel their products, 
which they have agreed to do on or before August 1, 1995.
  American companies, such as M/M Mars, do not want special treatment. 
They want the opportunity for their products to compete fairly in the 
international market.




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