1. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade 
Barriers (NTE) on March 31, 2006.

In accordance with the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, the report is based on the views of 
the business community and others and has been submitted annually at the end of March.

This year’s report covered 62 major U.S. trading partners and surveyed their major pending issues of trade 
and investment-related barriers such as protection of intellectual property rights with China, E.U.’s 
subsidizing airbus commercial business and Japan’s suspension of beef imports.  

2. The 2006 NTE took issue with 10 areas covering 25 pages on Korea (10 areas, 37 pages in 2005), 
criticizing Korea more strongly in this year’s report, while stating that it observed some progress through 
close consultations between the two countries.

The NTE stated that the USTR notified the launching of the Korea-U.S. FTA to congress in February 2006 
and anticipated that the conclusion of the FTA with Korea will expand trade in product and services, 
contribute to employment and economic growth, and strengthen cooperation between the two countries.