03/19/2013
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday and today, government officials from the United States and Korea convened the first meeting of the Labor Affairs Council (LAC) under the United States-Korea trade agreement. Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Labor Affairs Lewis Karesh and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Carol Pier represented the United States on the LAC. The U.S. delegation also included other representatives from USTR, the Department of Labor, and the Department of State.
At the LAC meeting, officials reviewed implementation of the Labor Chapter of the United States-Korea trade agreement and the labor obligations of the agreement. The two parties confirmed that implementation of the Labor Chapter during the first year, including the establishment of the Council and contact points for labor issues, has been positive and constructive. They also discussed areas for future cooperation, including the collection and analysis of employment and labor statistics, and collaboration on supporting corporate compliance with international labor standards in global supply chains.
Today, the morning session of the LAC meeting was open to the public, demonstrating the LAC's ongoing commitment to a transparent and participatory process. To view the United States-Korea Labor Affairs Council Joint Statement, please click here.
