Free trade with Korea‏

http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2012/04/30/gm-korea-to-import-first-u-s-built-chevy/

It was hyped as a great thing.  Who doesn’t love free trade….  What is better in an election year then to talk about all the MADE IN USA products being sold around the world.

GM Korea Co. will begin importing its first Chevrolet model built in the U.S. from this Friday, a move driven by the free-trade agreement between the two countries.  Yeah!!!!
The bilateral trade pact, which took effect on March 15, halved the import tax for U.S.-made vehicles to 4%. The U.S.-made Chevrolet Corvette Coupe will go on sale on May 4 in the domestic market and compete against the pricier Porsche 911 Carrera and BMW Z4.
GM Korea isn’t expecting strong sales of the two-seater Corvette but hopes the luxury sports car will boost its brand image and broaden its base of customers in Korea.  (Window dressing.  Nothing more then a PR move)

GM will also start exporting its first Chevy model assembled in South Korea to the U.S. from May. The one-liter Chevrolet Spark is built in its Changwon plant.
“Higher fuel costs seem to have generated demand for the mini car in the U.S. as commuter cars,” company spokeswoman Lim Young-mi said.
GM Korea, a 70.1%-owned unit of Detroit-based General Motors Co., is GM’s manufacturing base for mini and small vehicles.
Early in 2011, GM Korea dropped the Daewoo brand-name and adopted the Chevrolet brand-name in South Korea as part of GM’s rebranding strategy. All its new and updated models carry the Chevy marque, except for three models–the Alpheon large sedan, and the Damas and Labo mini cars.

So to recap…..

Gas guzzling, high priced Corvettes (Made in USA) shipped to Korea won’t be selling well.  But it looks good for the politicians. 

Small, cheaply priced, Made in Korea Chevrolets (even though they are really Daewoo) will be selling well (IN THE USA) because gas is $4.00.  So they title the article “GM Korea to Import First U.S.-Built Chevy” in hopes nobody actually reads what it is saying. 

GM is hoping people who want to buy Made in America, and buy a Chevrolet (to support the cause) won’t know they are actually buying Made in Korea Daewoo.  Wink Wink.

Yay.. free trade.