• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

The Japanese government has carried out the power industry reform in three phases to supply power stably, control the rise of electricity tariff, and expand consumer choices. The reform of the Japanese electric power industry fosters new kinds of businesses as well as changes the competitive structure in which the enterprises participating electricity business compete. However, for the power industry restructuring to be done smoothly, the accompanying tasks should be carried out. Korea has also been devoting a lot of efforts to cultivate various types of new industries based on the convergence of energy and information and communications technology. If there are the same kinds of new industries between the two countries, the progresses of the industries can be compared to each other over a period of time.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.125-148
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• 2014

This paper performs a historical analysis on the various factors contributing to the current carbon lock-in of Korean electricity industry by using techo-institutional complex. The possibilities of the industry's carbon lock-out toward more sustainable development are also investigated. It turns out that market, firm, consumer, and government factors are all responsible for the development of the carbon lock-in of Korean power industry; the Korean government consistently favoring large power plants based on the economy of scale; below-cost electricity tariff; inflation policy to suppress increases in power price; rapid demand growth in summer and winter seasons; rigidities of electricity tariff; and expansion of gas-fired and imported coal-fired large power plants. On the other hand, except for nuclear power generation and smart grid, environment laws and new and renewable energy laws are the other remaining factors contributing to the carbon lock-out. Considering three key points that Korea is an export-oriented economy, the generation mix is the most critical factor to decide the amounts of carbon emission in the power industry, and the share of industry and commercial power consumption is over 85%, it is unlikely that Korea will achieve the carbon lock-out of power industry in the near future. Therefore, there are needs for more integrated approaches from market, firm, consumer, and government all together in order to achieve the carbon lock-out in the electricity industry. Firstly, from the market perspective, it is necessary to persue more active new and renewable energy penetration and to guarantee consumer choices by mitigating the incumbent's monopoly power as in the OECD countries. Secondly, from the firm perspective, the promotion of distributed energy system is urgent, which includes new and renewable resources and demand resources. Thirdly, from the consumer perspective, more green choices in the power tariff and customer awareness on the carbon lock-out are needed. Lastly, the government shall urgently improve power planning frameworks to include the various externalities that were not properly reflected in the past such as environmental and social conflict costs.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2009

This study was conducted to establish a strategy to improve the grafted cacti export which has been stagnated in these year. To promote its exporting, first of all, Korean cactus producer needs to save the cost of labor by using bottom nutriculture system for the greater national competitiveness. Second, it is desired to diversify the export cactus items such as a new variety of Epiphyllum truncatum, big size of perfect brand, a finished package production to satisfy foreigner's demand coping with international market change of grafted cacti. On the other hand, Korean cultivar protection and national negotiation for a reducing tariff rate or an efficient plant inspection system are also needed.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.171-207
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• 2020

Purpose - This paper investigates the potential effect of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on trade liberalization among member countries in order to answer key questions in our research on whether the RCEP will be a cornerstone or just collaboration. Furthermore, it aims to measure the likely magnitude of the economic impact it has on its members. Design/methodology - Toward achieving research objectives, we developed a regional CGE model based on the GTAP 9 database. Findings - The simulation results show Korea, Australia, India, and Japan ranked the top countries with an average growth in GDP of 0.38 %, 0.36%, 0.29%, and 0.23%, respectively. Moreover, China and New Zealand followed with a percentage of 0.12% each. The lower economic performing group is the ASEAN group due to a contraction in GDP by 0.13%. Accordingly, there was a positive impact of the RCEP agreement on all member states, as empirically demonstrated. Furthermore, Korea is one of the countries that will benefit most from joining this agreement. Finally, this agreement is important; it has many economic benefits to member states, but it is not a cornerstone. Originality/value - The examination of the quantitative effects of tariff removal among the RCEP's countries is its value. We will address all member countries of the convention simultaneously using a regional CGE model GAMS language, where we employed a Mathematical Programming System for General Equilibrium (MPSGE) to establish a Regional CGE model. This study is directed to policymakers looking at evaluating RCEP agreement.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.179-201
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• 2018

Food labelling rules reflect the interaction of a number of factors such as industry needs for marketing flexibility and minimal regulations, consumer's rights to know what is in the product and public health concerns. However, food labelling rules could apply to international trade as non-tariff barriers so it is necessary to make multilateral harmonization of food labelling rules. For this, GATT XX, SPS, and TBT of the WTO can serve as jurisprudence in agreements. Lgnoring the safety problems of GM food, which is currently a worldwide issue, it is a situation that needs international harmonization of GM food labelling methods, harmonization of technical terms which are used in Korean law, and clear interpretation criteria for GM food labelling methods and contents are vital for sustainable trade in agricultural products. Therefore, this study proposes interpretation criteria through major trade countries' GM food labelling methods and an examination of Korean law. Furthermore, this study proposes international harmonization guidelines for GM food in the future.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.1-25
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• 2016

This study reviews international discussions about the trade-labor linkage and examines the labor chapters of FTAs enforced by the US and the EU from a comparative perspective. Since early 1990s, starting from the NAFTA, the US has included forceable labor provisions in its FTAs and this trend continues to the TPP which was concluded in October 2015. On the other hand, the EU's labor provisions in its FTAs have been composed of promotional elements on labor rights based on cooperations and dialogues. These different features of labor provisions in the US and European FTAs are mainly due to the motives of the FTAs of the US and the EU respectively as well as their domestic situations with regards to domestic law and institutional set-ups. The coordination of labor provisions involves a long-term institutional as well as regulatory convergence which triggers not only economic but also social changes, compared to a relatively short-term effect of tariff elimination. For Korea which has been a FTA partner country both with the US and the EU, it is significant to keep the different characteristics in the labor provisions in mind, particularly in the process of its implementation. Concerning the implementation of Korea-US FTA, it might be problematic if Korean law and its regulatory practice on labor-management relations do not comply with that of the US. The Korea-EU FTA case can also have an indirect impact on Korea's labor laws since it stipulates in its provisions that both parties should have discussions not only within each government but also with the civil communities including NGOs. Thus, Korea should pay more attention to the true meaning in labor provisions of both FTAs in order to promote its firms to be equipped with the right labor-management system in their operations abroad.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.45-64
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper examines South Korea's potential status as a carbon leakage country, and the level of risk posed by the Korean emissions trading scheme (ETS) for Korean industries. The economic effects of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) to protect energy-intensive Korean industries in the process of achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030 through the Korean ETS are also analyzed. Design/methodology - First, using the Korean Input-Output (IO) table, this paper calculates the balance of emissions embodied in trade (BEET) and the pollution terms of trade (PTT) to determine Korean industries' carbon leakage status. Analyses of the risk level posed by carbon reduction policy implementation in international trade are conducted for some sectors by applying the EU criteria. Second, using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, three BCA scenarios, exemption regulations (EXE), reimbursement (REB), and tariff reduction (TAR) to protect the energy-intensive industries under the Korean ETS are addressed. Compared to the baseline scenario of achieving carbon reduction targets by 2030, the effects of BCAs on welfare, carbon leakage, outputs, and trading are analyzed. Findings - As Korea's industrial structure has been transitioning from a carbon importing to a carbon leaking country. The results indicate that some industrial sectors could face the risk of losing international competitiveness due to the Korean ETS. South Korea's industries are basically exposed to risk of carbon leakage because most industries have a trade intensity higher than 30%. This could be interpreted as disproving vulnerability to carbon leakage. Although the petroleum and coal sector is not in carbon leakage, according to BEET and PTT, the Korean ETS exposes this sector to a high risk of carbon leakage. Non-metallic minerals and iron and steel sectors are also exposed to a high risk of carbon leakage due to the increased burden of carbon reduction costs embodied in the Korean ETS, despite relatively low levels of trade intensity. BCAs are demonstrated to have an influential role in protecting energy-intensive industries while achieving the carbon reduction target by 2030. The EXE scenario has the greatest impact on mitigation of welfare losses and carbon leakage, and the TAF scenario causes a disturbance in the international trade market because of the pricing adjustment system. In reality, the EXE scenario, which implies completely exempting energy-intensive industries, could be difficult to implement due to various practical constraints, such as equity and reduction targets and other industries; therefore, the REB scenario presents the most realistic approach and appears to have an effect that could compensate for the burden of economic activities and emissions regulations in these industries. Originality/value - This paper confirms the vulnerability of the Korean industrial the risk of carbon leakage, demonstrating that some industrial sectors could be exposed to losing international competitiveness by implementing carbon reduction policies such as the Korean ETS. The contribution of this paper is the identification of proposed approaches to protect Korean industries in the process of achieving the 2030 reduction target by analyzing the effects of BCA scenarios using a CGE model.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-36
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• 2019

In line with the international community's movement to reduce greenhouse gas emission, Korea implemented FIT(Feed in Tariff) in 2002 as part of its renewable energy development project. Although the policy had shifted to full-scale RPS(Renewable Portfolio Standards) in 2012, policymakers are still seeking changes due to policy ineffectiveness. While previous studies explain sudden policy changes through external factors, recent research sheds light on internal factors in the process of policy transition. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that are responsible for rapidly changing policies in latecomer nations. In order to find this, we look at the case of transition from the FIT to the RPS in Korea's expansion of renewable energy policy. As a result of the research, it is confirmed that the Top-Down decision making system of Korea and the external regulatory change cause rapid policy transition. By looking at these variables, we propose useful implications for policymakers to minimize the policy failure in future policy design and evolution.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.1-34
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• 2008

It is recognized that RPS(Renewable Portfolio Standard) and FIT(Feed-in Tariff) are two main policy instruments to promote Renewable Electricity(RE). The Korean Government announced in 2008 that RE promotion scheme will be changed to RPS from current FIT system in 2012. But we believe RPS is inferior to FIT for promoting less developed technologies such as photovoltaics or wind power. This is because the achievement of RE promotion in countries adopting RPS is markedly worse than that in European counties or Janpan adopting FIT. If the policy change is inevitable, when considering the lessons from Japan's failure as well as supporting the less developed technologies, it is recommended that either the market should be divided into several technology and scale categories, or more RPS-Credit per kWh should be assigned to the photovoltaic and wind power than instead of letting the all technologies compete in the "open category". It is also recommended that (1) Renewable Energy Promotion Fund(tentative name) based on a part of current energy related tax revenue should be introduced, or (2) cost of supporting the Renewable Electricity should automatically be transferred into the electricity bill of electricity consumers following the German System.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.77
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• pp.239-258
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine the legal standards of agreements on the origin of liability and the relevant laws in Korea, to suggest implications for custom authorities and traders wishing to benefit from preferential tariff via FTA, citing the excluded cases of related FTA preferences (court cases and administrative judgments). In order to examine the provisions related to supporting evidence of the origin of liability in FTA, we examined FTAs agreed between Korea and EU, EFTA, ASEAN, U.S., and India relevant to FTA Special Customs Act, court cases and administrative judgements. If verifying the origin to protect the fair trade order impedes to promote utilizing FTA, solutions will need to be suggested. If FTA preference is exempted due to verifying the origin by the import customs authorities, the importer shall pay the income tax calculated in accordance with the general tax rate. This is because the certificate of origin confirmed during verification process is different from the actual origin. In most agreements, the exporter (the producer) shall issue the certificate of origin and since the importer has no other option than obtaining the certificate of origin from the exporter, it may face consequences such as declined credibility from the custom authorities in addition to being disqualified for FTA preferential, if the certificate of origin received from the exporter has flaws. On the other hand, the exporter cannot help but being punished by the customs authorities due to issuing defective origin certificates, but it doesn't have conventionary liabilities for damages incurred to the importer. As a result, importers are forced to pursue legal proceedings to claim damages to exporters or to give up FTA preference. As FTA is increasingly utilized, the number and amount of origin verification in Korea has continuously been increasing while administrative judgements indicates other FTA exporters doesn't seem to gain any support in utilizing FTA like Korea does. It has been 8 years since full-scale supports in FTA launched and now is the time to introduce more efficient and intensive FTA support system In this regard, it is desirable to conduct comprehensive verification on export Next, an institutions that assures FTA-based exports should be established in order to compensate the importer's damages that may occur from disqualified certificate of origin issued by the exporter.