VOA新闻杂志2022--韩国对美国新贸易政策感到愤怒

South Korea Angry Over New U.S. Trade Policy

South Korea says a new American tax law discriminates¹ against South Korean electric vehicle (EV) makers³. The issue may be a threat to relations between the long-time allies.

The United States Inflation Reduction Act passed last month. It offers tax credits worth as much as $7,500 to buyers of electric vehicles assembled in North America.

Experts say the measure was designed to assist EV manufacturing in North America and block China from supply chains.

The bill also cancelled tax credits for some electric vehicles made overseas. Among the most affected⁴ are the South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia. Together, they are in second place for most sales in the U.S. electric vehicle market. Only EV maker² Tesla sells more.

South Korean business officials called the new law a betrayal of World Trade Organization principles. They also said that the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement bans such discrimination against each other's imported products.

In the press, both conservative and liberal opinion writers criticized the policy. Some questioned if the South Korean government should end its part in several U.S.-led economic programs in the country. Some of those projects are considered critical to U.S. efforts in Asia.

South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun spoke⁵ of the trade dispute at a press conference Tuesday. It should be treated separately from those programs, he said. But, the issue could, he said, "shake the trust in the trade relationship itself."

South Korea's problem

Keeping good relations with both China and the U.S. is difficult for South Korea. It is home to about 28,000 American troops. It also depends on trade with China more than any other country.

South Korea's conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May. He has moved to expand his country's economic and security relationship with the United States.

The United States has agreed to talks with South Korea to reduce the effect of the recent U.S. legislation. But there has still been much criticism in South Korea directed at both Yoon and American President Joe Biden.

So far, the reaction has mainly been limited to published opinion pieces and statements from business and government officials.

Jeongmeen Suh is an economics professor at Seoul's Soongsil University. He says the U.S. policy only affects a limited number of South Korean companies and might not be felt by the average citizen.

So, he thinks it unlikely that South Koreans will hold any major protests over the trade law.

But if not settled quickly, the disagreement could result in diplomatic problems, such as Seoul taking the issue to the World Trade Organization. Some voices have called for South Korea to take a stronger position in line with its growing economic and diplomatic influence.

"If Korea remains⁶ passive, it could once again become the victim of the great powers," says a recent opinion writer in Hankyoreh. "Korea needs to get over its ‘small country' mentality⁷ and adopt an active posture⁸."

Words in This Story

assemble – v. to put something together

posture – n. an official stand or position, as that taken by a nation on a major issue

1 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

8 posture   

n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势

参考例句：

• The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。
• He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。