• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.21-42
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• 2023

Purpose - This paper investigates the trade effect of the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (KCFTA) which coincides with political conflicts between the two countries due to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in Korea. The two events occurred in the same year and both are likely to affect trade between two countries but in opposite directions. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between the trade effects from the KCFTA event and those from the THAAD event to evaluate the true FTA effects. However, this would be difficult when using only annual data. Accordingly, ex post studies to examine the trade effects of KCFTA are lacking in trustworthiness while many ex ante studies that conjecture the positive trade effects neglect the THAAD deployment impact. This paper aims to fill that gap. Design/methodology - Given that the KCFTA and THAAD events occurred in the same year but in different months, we use the monthly data from 2000 to 2019 of Korea's exports to bracket this period. We employ the difference-in-difference (DID) method within a gravity equation specification that uses hi-dimensional fixed effects to address various endogeneity issues and seasonal effects. We identify the net impact of KCFTA ratification from these two near-simultaneous events to quantify the effects of trade liberalization between these two countries. Findings - After isolating the THAAD effects on trade, the analysis creates a positive and statistically significant coefficient estimate of the KCFTA impact. In contrast, failing to isolate the THAAD effect produced a negative and statistically significant coefficient estimate of the KCFTA impact. Our results indicate that KCFTA independently increased Korea's exports to China by 10.2%, but that this increase was fully mitigated by the THAAD event. Further, our results verify that unobserved heterogeneity and multilateral resistance are technically difficult to account for in those estimations as that rely solely upon annual data, as this type of data are inadequate to control for the potential for endogeneity. Originality/value - This paper is one of the first studies to carefully evaluate the net trade effects of the KCFTA on Korea's largest trading partner while isolating the impact of simultaneously occurred political events that may influence trade in opposing directions. Our findings indicate that the lack of prior evidence of positive trade effects of the KCFTA when using annual data may be attributed to a failure to identify the impact of each event separately. This analysis supports using the correct modeling specification to avoid misleading conclusions when evaluating any important international trade policy.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.23-38
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper empirically explores the RCA of electrical equipment trade between China and Korea from the perspective of gross trade and value-added trade. The goal of this paper is to scan the electrical equipment's RCA, the decomposition of gross exports, and the impacts of an exerted shock. Design/methodology - We applied the domestic value-added method in measuring the RCA, which could be more accurate than traditional RCA since it excludes foreign value-added. Based on the research purpose, this paper follows the framework of Koopman, Wang, and Wei (2014)-as extended by Wang, Wei, and Zhu (2018). It extracts the data from the 2019 Multi-regional Input-Output (MRIO) databases compiled by the Asian Development Bank in January 2021. Findings - After rigorous examination, the main findings are as follows: First, the electrical equipment sector maintains a consistent comparative advantage in either assessing method. Second, China exports more gross goods of electrical equipment to the world than South Korea does, but there is a trade deficit with Korea. Third, South Korea and P.R. China are the most significant bilateral partners of foreign value-added sourcing. Finally, it is surprising that there is a shock on electrical equipment; the partner's service, as well as manufacturing sectors, would be affected. Originality/value - This paper explores the revealed comparative advantage between Korea and China from traditional gross export and value-added perspectives. Second, we apply the information from the 2019 MRIO database compiled by the Asian Development Bank in January 2021, reflecting the current situation. Third, this paper analyzes the electrical equipment and the impacts on other parties' sectors. Finally, we carry out the subjects that deserve to be investigated in the future.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.15-24
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• 2019

The study conducted an empirical analysis of the impact of FDI on economic growth in four Asian countries: China, India, Vietnam and Korea. With panel data for the 1990-2017 period, the research model was developed for foreign direct investment (FDI), export amount (EX), government expenditure (G), exchange rate (EXR), and labourable population (L). The panel analysis results show that the increase in FDI, exports, government expenditure, labourable population significantly increased economic growth. The comparison analysis for each country revealed that FDI, exports and government expenditure significantly affect economic growth in China, that exports and government expenditure significantly affect economic growth in Korea, that FDI significantly affected economic growth in Vietnam, and that the increase in the workforce contributed to economic development in India. This paper characterized the different factors of economic growth in the four Asian countries. These results suggest that setting economic priorities to suit the specific economic conditions of each country is a shortcut to more efficient economic growth.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.333-352
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• 2013

Various trade competitiveness-related indices such as TSI, CACI, MCAI, and IITI are applied to examine the trade structure of comparative advantage and complementarity between Jonnama and Chinese on agricultural and Fisheries industry using the data of years 2000-2012 of KITA. The result show that Joennam has specialized in the product of other products of animal origin and preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, other par. The Intra-Industry trade level of Korean agricultural and Fisheries industry were in the trend of uprising with vertical intra-industry pattern dominant among them in the product live trees other live plants, edible vegetables roots, oil seeds oleaginous fruit, other vegetable saps extracts, preparations of cereals flour starch. As expected, Jeonnam region show that the high quality vertical IIT, indicating that Jeonnam export high-priced high quality products to China and import cheap low quality items from China. Finally, the innovation of production system, distribution modernization, value-maximizing strategies were suggested as a strengthening method of competitiveness.

• The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2024

Purpose: South Korea is a close ally of the US and an important partner of China. Caught between the two most powerful countries, South Korea's strategic directions are critical. This article emphasizes that the deeper core of the US-China trade war is to improve the business environment to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to boost the economy, rather than engaging in the trade war. Research design, data, and methodology: Considering the complexity of this issue, this article applies a systematic analytical tool, the ABCD (Agility, Benchmarking, Convergence, and Dedication) model, to provide strategic guidance for inducing investments into South Korea in the context of the ongoing US-China trade war. Results: Specifically, South Korea needs to provide a more attractive business environment along the four points: expedite commercial activities through deregulation (Agility); adopt global standards of the flexible labor markets and technological developments (Benchmarking); integrate various industries and connect them to global value chains (Convergence); and create more economy-friendly policies rather than politics-oriented ones such as protectionism (Dedication). Conclusion: This study stands out not just by utilizing the ABCD model but, also by providing more systematic analysis and practical implications, particularly within the context of the escalating US-China competition. Unlike many existing studies that analyze the broader impacts of this geopolitical rivalry, this research delves into specific strategic guidelines for South Korea to attract FDI. The findings also provide implications for multinational corporations (MNCs) in choosing the locations for their overseas operations, particularly in South Korea.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.55-85
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• 1998

Each of China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea is in international trade one of the major countries in Asia and has been influenced by the Chinese character culture and the Civil law system. All these countries have their own commercial dispute resolution system for international trade dispute and commercial arbitration mechanism in their countries. They are making their own effort to internationalize and improve their commercial arbitration system. Among these countries China enacted a new arbitration law already. At that time Chinese arbitration law was referred to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration for internationalization of Chinese commercial arbitration system. China also internationalized the panel of arbitrators by increasing the foreign arbitrators of the panel of arbitrators of CIETAC. These measures adopted by China will be the model of dispute resolution and the commercial arbitration system in other major countries in Asia.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.69
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• pp.567-588
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• 2016

Korea-China FTA and Korea-U.S. FTA are the most significant FTA in volume and economic effect for Korea's perspective. Developed countries have dealt with environmental issues one of the main issues in FTA negotiation, while developing countries have been reluctant to it. Both Korea-China FTA and Korea-U.S. FTA have separate environment chapter respectively. A separate environment chapter was firstly introduced in Korea-U.S. for Korea's perspective. Both environment chapters provide high level of environment protection, recognition of multilateral environmental agreements, enforcement of environmental laws, and environmental cooperation. Both environment chapters require that each party make effort to improve environmental laws and measures. Korea-China FTA provides establishment a "Committee on Environment and Trade", and Korea-U.S. FTA provides establishment a "Environment Council" to oversee the implementation of environment clauses. Korea-China FTA and Korea-U.S. FTA have very similar provisions on environment and trade, and are expected to contribute to enhancing environment protection. However, a lot of provisions are somewhat declaratory rather than mandatory. Therefore, further environmental cooperation is encouraged to achieve the goals and objectives of the environment clauses and FTA.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.309-337
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• 2015

Recently, Korea had virtually reached an FTA deal with China on November 10, 2014 after the 14 rounds of negotiation during past two and half years. The two countries agreed to the FTA's 22 chapters, including products, services, investment, e-commerce, finance, communication, and other trade issues, but rice and several sensitive agricultural and fisheries products were excluded from the deal. Korea and China will remove their import tariffs on more than 90 percent of all products and more than 85 percent of imports by value within 20 years once the FTA is implemented. This paper intends to analyze the impacts of Korea-China FTA on the major industries in Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. Considering the statistics on the bilateral trade between China and Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, import tariff rates of the two countries, trade specialization indices of the major industries, and the package of Korea-China FTA deal, this study investigated the sectoral effects of Korea-China FTA on the four main industries, textiles, electrical-electronics, machinery and auto parts, and steel and iron industries in that region.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.161-178
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• 2023

Purpose - purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of the investment facilitation levels of 11 RCEP countries (excluding Myanmar, Brunei, and Laos due to lack of data) on China's outward foreign direct investments(OFDI) using balanced panel data from 2010 to 2019. Design/methodology - First, four investment facilitation measurement indicators (regulatory environment, infrastructure, financial market, ease of doing business) were selected,investment facilitation scores of the 11 countries were obtained using the principal component analysis, an investment gravity model was established with nine explanatory variables (investment facilitation level, market size, population, geographic distance, degree of opening, tax level, natural resources, whether the country is an APEC member or not, and whether a valid bilateral investment treaty with China has been concluded) were used to establish an investment gravity model, and regression analyses were conducted with OLS and system GMM. Findings - The results of the regression analyses showed that investment facilitation levels had the greatest effect on China's OFDI, all four first-level indicators had positive effects on China's OFDI, and among them, the institutional environment had the greatest effect. In addition, it was shown that explanatory variables such as market size, population, geographical distance, degree of openness, natural resources, and whether or not a valid bilateral investment treaty has been concluded would have positive effects on China's OFDI, while tax levels and APEC membership would impede China's OFDI to some extent. Originality/value - Since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEPT) came into effect not long ago, there are not so many studies on the effects of investment facilitation levels of RCEP member states on China's OFDI, and the investment facilitation measurement index constructed in this paper is relatively systematic and scientific because it includes all the contents of investment facilitation related to the life cycle of company's foreign direct investments.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.85-92
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• 2022

In recent years, the world's free trade system has been severely damaged by a series of protectionist measures in the United States and anti-globalization practices such as Brexit. Against this background, RCEP, the world's largest trade agreement, was officially signed on November 15, 2021. The RCEP provided a good working basis for the establishment of a Korea, China, and Japan free trade zone. First, this paper describes the current status of Korea-China-Japan trade cooperation and the current status of the trilateral telecommunication industry. Second, this paper simulates the changes in the overall economy of China, Japan, and Korea when tariffs are reduced to 0%, 5%, and 10%, respectively, after the establishment of a free trade zone using the 8th edition GTAP database. Then, using the simulated data changes and using the 2019 data as a benchmark, we calculated the changes in the RCA index for the three countries' telecommunications industries for the three tax rates. In the end, it is concluded that the economies of the three countries will grow to different levels in many ways when the Korea, China, and Japan free trade zone is established. Japan's telecommunications industry will not be significantly affected, Korea will grow significantly with higher tax rates and China will grow significantly with lower tax rates.