• Korea Trade Review
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.47-67
• /
• 2018

This study analyzed whether the poverty level among Asian countries has converged, by using data for the 'globalization period'. In particular, we analyzed the impact of trade on convergence by quantitative analysis using two indices; the head count ratio (H) and the human development index (HDI). The σ-convergence measurement and β-convergence measurement method, commonly used in the field of economic growth, are used for the analysis method. Results show that poverty rates have declined on average during the analysis period and there has been an increase in HDI. It seems that there has been improvement regarding poverty. However, this trend is only an indication of the average trend of Asian countries as a whole. As for the convergence between countries, which is the focus of this study, the HDI index shows the converges among countries while the H index does not show significant convergence among countries. It is also difficult to determine that trade has a statistically significant impact on the poverty rate convergence. However, in the case of HDI convergence, trade has contributed to increasing the convergence rates. This results might show that globalization does not guarantee the convergence among countries, and thus, we need to have additional policy in order to reduce the poverty.