EXHIBIT V DEPARTMENT OF STATE Washington, D.C. 20520 2 8 AUG 1979 Dear Mr. Chairman: The Secretary has asked me to reply to your letter of August 21 requesting a report on the recentlyimplemented Maritime Transportation Promotion Law of the Republic of Korea. We view the Korean Government's action as an important issue, especially in light of the President's July 20 message on maritime policy. We have discussed this matter several times with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Washington and with the Korean Government in Seoul, including a meeting between our Ambassador in Seoul and the Korean Foreign Minister to discuss this specific issue. While the Koreans have repeatedly stated that the law is not intended to damage US shipping or trade interests, we do foresee the possibility of a serious adverse impact on our trades. Among the pieces of information that we still require is a translation of the entire waiver procedure so that we can determine when and to whom waivers will be granted. The Embassy in Seoul will provide the waiver regulations as soon as they can be translated. The Department of State has kept the Commission fully informed about the developments in this issue, and we will continue to seek a satisfactory solution. We propose to hold high-level discussions with the Government of the Republic of Korea on the law and its possible impact at a mutually convenient time. The Department will inform the Commission when the date of that meeting has been set. The Honorable Richard J. Daschbach, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission. |