<국회 외통위, US Concerns Over IRA Discrimination Against Korean Electric Vehicles Resolution Adopted (Comprehensive)>

Foreign Affairs Committee "Resolution Urging US Tax Support for Korean Electric Vehicles" Passed
To Be Adopted as National Assembly Resolution by Merging with Industry Committee Resolution Passed in Afternoon

On the morning of the 19th, at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly, Chairman Yoon Jae-ok is striking the gavel.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] On the 30th, the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee passed a resolution urging the United States to provide tax support for Korean electric vehicles based on the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

On the same day, the National Assembly held a plenary session and processed a resolution, which was a revised and supplemented version of the "Resolution Urging the Prohibition of Discrimination in Tax Support for Imported Electric Vehicles and Batteries from the United States" proposed by Lee Won-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

This resolution condemns the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by the US Congress. The IRA includes provisions on tax benefits for eco-friendly vehicles but stipulates that only electric vehicles "finally assembled in North America" are eligible.

The resolution is expected to be merged with the "Resolution Urging the Prohibition of Discrimination in Tax Support for Imported Electric Vehicles and Batteries from the United States," which is scheduled to be discussed in the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Business Committee in the afternoon, and then submitted to the plenary session of the National Assembly.

Lawmakers also criticized the Korean government's response regarding the IRA legislation. Kim Sang-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "The government is too irresponsible."

Initially, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee prepared a resolution with refined expressions compared to the one proposed by Representative Lee, but reflecting the opinions of committee members that a stronger will should be expressed, the resolution included a strong urging statement.

Jung Jin-seok, a member of the People Power Party, said, "Regarding the US handling of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), it felt like being stabbed in the back when the US visited," adding, "The US administration explained that it cannot control Congress and therefore has no solution. However, we should request a grace period until 2025 when the electric vehicle factory in the US is completed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.