Seoul Ford dealer is dealt a lemon as U.S.-South Korea trade agreement stalls

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-car-dealer-20101112,0,227714.story

The hard-driving salesman had high hopes that a deal would make it easier to sell American-made cars in South Korea. But two ashen-faced presidents had to admit failure, leaving the dealer crushed and keeping added taxes on foreign-made autos.

By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times

November 12, 2010

Reporting from Seoul —

Song Myoung-geun is a hard-driving car dealer pushing Fords to South Korean buyers. He's so good at his job that last year he ranked third nationwide in personal sales for the U.S.-made vehicles.

The bad news: He moved 72 cars in 12 months, a rate that surely would win no awards in the United States. By comparison, the top Hyundai salesman here sold 357 vehicles and the maker's third-place finisher sold 264.

Song's plight shows the challenge of selling foreign-made automobiles with their added taxes in a nation determined to peddle homegrown brands. But he held out a slight hope that Thursday might bring news that the U.S. and South Korea had completed terms of a trade agreement that would allow him to sell more cars.

[madokie]

1. We need to build and sell fords in America

south Korea needs to build and sell their cars incountry too, same as with china or japan. This outsourcing our the builds sucks for all involved. Corporate heads needs their asses kicked right square up between their shoulders so far they have to take their shirts off to shit. I mean that.

[Duckhunter935]

2. start a tarriff

Gradually start a tarriff or regulations here to match the South Korean ones. Then maybe they will see the light.