• Korea Trade Review
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.273-288
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• 2022

This study first classifies and organizes provisions on institutional arrangements (or IAs) and dispute settlement mechanism(or DSM) in a digital trade agreement. Then it conducts a case study on seven major digital trade agreements: the CPTPP, the USJDTA, the USMCA, the ASDEA, the RCEP, the KSDPA, and the DEPA. And it finally derives implications for Korea to improve implementation of DTAs by communicating better and resolving disputes efficiently with the help of IAs and DSM-related provisions. IAs of a digital trade agreement can be defined as a set of agreements on the division of the respective responsibilities of agencies involved in implementing and enforcing the agreement, including committees, working groups, or contact points. DSM of a digital trade agreement includes consultation, mediation, arbitration, and establishment of a panel. Comparing six FTAs with an e-commerce chapter, the CPTPP, the USMCA, and the RCEP contain the most advanced type of IA provisions while the CPTPP, the USMCA, the RCEP, and the KSDPA have that of DSM provisions. Korea is its initial stage as it has only signed the KSDPA with Singapore as well as it is about to launch a new digital trade negotiation for the DEPA, the CPTPP, and even the IPEF, it is necessary to engage in negotiations with a clearer position on behalf of Korean digital companies. As provisions on IAs and DSM are important policy tools that can reflect industry concerns and convey proposals in inter-governmental dialogue, a Korean draft of the IAs and DSM-related provision should be prepared in advance.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.269-289
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• 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains across the world. When the pandemic broke out, the disruptions were mainly due to the lockdowns imposed in various countries. The WTO has predicted that the pandemic might cause world trade to decline by 13 to 32 per cent in 2020. This paper will examine the implications of COVID-19 on digital trade, particularly the use of blockchain in the Asia Pacific. The Asia Pacific (particularly Singapore and Hong Kong) is a leader in the use of digital technologies. This paper will thus attempt to draw out lessons from the first movers for the rest of Asia. It will examine the bottlenecks in the application of this technology in the Asia Pacific countries, and the need for regulatory changes in the Asia-Pacific. It will trace the technology's barriers to adoption, both as regards interoperability, and regulatory framework. The advantages of blockchain technology in trade finance are clear; it can promote trade efficiency, mitigate risk and expand trade to other regions. However, earlier efforts to introduce digital technologies have failed. More collaborative efforts are required, so that networks can connect seamlessly on a single technology platform, and meet the demand for trade finance. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have provided an enabling environment for the intensification of digital efforts, increasing their urgency; should these measures indeed successfully occur, they will improve the resiliency of supply chains across the region.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.93-100
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• 2021

With the spread of digital trade, the share of digital trade under the global trade environment is increasing. However, since there is no international digital trade standard, the discussion to establish a new trade rule has important significance. Countries around the world are implementing digital trade policies in consideration of their own interests, but different regulatory policies are causing trade conflicts. In order to provide safeguards against personal information infringement due to the free movement of data across borders, major countries around the world have taken measures to localize data, and the EU has enacted GDPR. And the United States regards the imposition of the digital tax as a trade barrier, and some countries oppose the implementation of the digital tax for fear of negative impact on their countries. However, discussions on the global digital tax, centered on the OECD and the G20 are making progress. As it is highly likely that a digital tax agreement will be drawn up within this year, countermeasures must also be prepared. Therefore, this study presents implications for the future direction of Korea's trade policy by examining recent trends in digital trade norms and analyzing major issues in digital trade.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.57-73
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• 2022

The process and change of convergence in the economy and industry with the development of digital technology and combining with new technologies is called Digital Transformation. Specifically, it refers to innovating existing businesses and services by utilizing information and communication technologies such as big data analysis, Internet of Things, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Digital transformation is changing the shape of business and has a wide impact on businesses and consumers in all industries. Among them, the big data and analytics market is emerging as one of the most important growth drivers of digital transformation. Integrating intelligent data into an existing business is one of the key tasks of digital transformation, and it is important to collect and monitor data and learn from the collected data in order to efficiently operate a data-based business. In developed countries overseas, research on new business models using various data accumulated at the level of government and private companies is being actively conducted. However, although the trade and import/export data collected in the domestic public sector is being accumulated in various types and ranges, the establishment of an analysis and utilization model is still in its infancy. Currently, we are living in an era of massive amounts of big data. We intend to discuss the value of trade big data possessed from the past to the present, and suggest a strategy to activate trade big data for trade digital transformation and a new direction for future trade big data research.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.79-101
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• 2022

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the international competitiveness of digital service trade between Korea and China and to help enhance the competitive advantage of digital service trade between the two countries. Design/methodology - This paper designs and establishes a comprehensive evaluation system for the international competitiveness of the Korea-China digital service trade. By using the analytical methods of combining theory and demonstration through qualitative and quantitative analysis, this paper makes a concrete and complete theoretical deconstruction and empirical measurement of its international competitiveness from the two levels of overall competitiveness and departmental competitiveness. At the same time, the study also analyzes the competitive advantages and comparative disadvantages of the two countries. Findings - It is found that South Korea has a strong competitive advantage in the sector competitiveness of digital service trade, and the export structure is reasonable and balanced, but the deficit pattern affects the overall competitiveness. China has a strong competitive advantage in the overall competitiveness of the digital service trade. However, the structural imbalance in the export sector weakens the competitiveness of the sector. Both Korea and China have the space advantage and competitive potential to enhance international competitiveness in terms of development trends. Originality/value - This paper takes the lead in solving the pain point of the relative lack of similar research topics. It demonstrates the evolution process, development trends, and structural characteristics of the digital service trade. A new combination of competitive power research methods is innovated, and a comprehensive evaluation system is established. The above innovation points show the academic theoretical value and practical application value of this study.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.71-89
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• 2020

This study was carried out to identify the impact of EU GDPR on international trade amid the ongoing digital trade liberalization. To do this, we first looked at the current trend of digital trade liberalization, the role of data in it, and the trade-restrictive elements of EU GDPR. This allowed us to identify the negative impact of GDPR on free trade. It then conducted an interview survey on Korean companies operating in the EU to verify the conclusions reached. The result of this survey showed that the level of GDPR risk perceived by Korean firms was very low compared with those of American, Japanese and Chinese firms. In particular, the impact of GDPR is not clear for Korea's SMEs. It can be assumed that the reason for this is that Korean SMEs are not using data as a major business tool while the capability of SMEs is sufficient to cope with GDPR. In this regard, the government's appropriate policies and further research for SMEs are needed.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.99-117
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• 2021

Korea's FTA e-commerce regulations are evolving into a standardized norm. However, "location of computing facilities", which was not covered by Korea's existing FTA, was newly established in Korea's first Mega FTA, RCEP. China, a member of RCEP, restricts data movement and requires data localization through its Cybersecurity law. These facts have led to start this study with interest in data-related regulations. It examined country-specific and regulatory characteristics in the process of forming digital trade norms, using the TAPED established by Burri et al. (2020). It also analyzed the current status of introducing norms related to 'data flow', 'data localization' and 'data protection' of the EU, USA and China, which are leading the formation of e-commerce trade norms. Finally, the legal review was conducted to compare the exact meaning of the wording expressed in each agreement for the six recently enacted Mega FTAs and Digital Economic Agreements. These findings are meaningful in that they provided implications for the effectiveness of RCEP and the direction of negotiations on Korea's digital trade norms.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.145-167
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• 2007

Digital goods are defined as intangible and non-physical goods, composed of a combination of digital signals, electronically represented as 0 and 1. They are also called as digital products, electronic transmissions, information goods, digital contents, computer information, etc. Digital goods are now traded both domestically and internationally as well as on-line and off-line. Korean government revised the Basic Law on Foreign Trade to include digital goods and services as the scope of foreign trade in 2001. Trade volume of digital goods are increasing in Korea. The supply chains of digital goods from producing the components to selling globally to consumers are different from conventional physical goods. Mostly, digital goods are traded on the license basis rather than ownership contract. End User License Agreements(EULAs), such as shrink-wrap, click- wrap, or browser-wrap licenses are very popular in online transactions. Unlike conventional physical goods. the breach of license contract is closely linked with the infringement of intellectual property rights. Digitalized intellectual property is easy to copy and transmit in the cyber space. In cases of legal disputes from the breach of license contract, commercial arbitration or on-line alternative dispute resolutions(ADRs) are regarded as better approach to solve them rather than court sues. For promoting more secure and reliable international trade of digital goods. arbitration clauses should be included in most of license contracts.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.227-241
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• 2004

With the expansion of internet usage and the advanced technology for information and communication, the international e-Trade environment gradually migrates from the VAN/EDI to the global Internet-based e-Traed on an ebXML framework. In an effort to provide a Internet-based e-Trade environment with a security and trust, this paper analyzes security components and proposed the SSL and ebXML security technologies in order to assure of the trust and security over Internet-based e-Trade. In addition, this paper presents 3-phase methodology to realize the secure and trustworthy Internet-based e-Trade. In summary, as the first phase, the e-Trade business processes are re-engineered and the digital signature council for mutual recognition is orgainzed. And as the second phase, the Internet-based e-Trade system and the concerned digital signature technology are implemented. Finally as third phase, the PKI mutual recognition agreement is signed by parties concerned and then the Internet-based e-trade business is started. Furthermore, this paper presents the promising Internet-based e-Trade models where the digital signature can be applied.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.29-54
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• 2005

This paper presents a simple two-sector general equilibrium model of noncomparative advantage trade between structurally identical advanced economies. Attention has focused on the effects of trade in information technology (IT) goods and services on the wage inequality in the digital economy. The model confirms and illustrates that wage inequality in the digital economy reflect trade in IT goods and services between advanced economies. In particular, this paper shows that even though the relative price of skilled labor-intensive technology good is declined with trade in IT goods and services, the wage of skilled labor increases. The reason is that as Jorgenson (2001) has empirically found, the price elasticity of demand for the technology goods is elastic.