• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.197-219
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• 2008

The aim of this paper is to review KORUS FTA Rules of Origin. Although there are some differences in terms of structure and contents, KORUS FTA Rules of Origin is not much different from the other FTA's texts that Korea has already concluded. Textile and Apparel chapter is also separately specified. For textile and apparel goods, Korea and the US agreed to adopt 'yam-forward rule', allowing exceptions for certain goods. Both sides also agreed to introduce procedures for permitting to use non-Party's materials when fibers ryarns rfabrics are not available in commercial quantities. Overall evaluation on KORUS FTA is considered to be positive. Economically, KORUS FTA is expected to provide good opportunities for Korean companies to access the US market. Politically, Korea and the US can take advantage of KORUS FTA to reinforce the relationship between the two countries.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-44
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• 2014

Conflict between transnational environmental issues and foreign investment in capital-importing states can be commonly found. Actually, several investor-state dispute arbitration cases like Bilcon v. Canada, S.D. Myers v. Canada, and Metalclad v. Mexico concerned environmental matters. States are worried about their measures for securing the environment might be deemed to go against international investment agreements and foreign investors also are anxious because of excessive regulations. Against this backdrop, stakeholders attempt to strike a balance between securing foreign investment and preserving the environment. This article argues that the investment chapter of the Korea-US FTA tries to solve environment-investment collision in investor-state disputes. Before analyzing the provisions of the investment chapter most relevant to environmental issues, this article points out the most typical types of environmental clauses included in international investment agreements. The investment chapter of the Korea-US FTA has provisions which effectively prevent measures from becoming useless when those measures are legitimate measures relevant to environmental matters. This does not mean that the Korea-US FTA completely solves the conflict between environmental issues and the protection of foreign investment, but still it paves the way for a prudent solution which would hash out this thorny problem.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-57
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• 2020

Korea-US FTA amendment became effective January 1, 2019 through several trade negotiations between the two countries. These amendments did not include changes in the agricultural sector. However, given the policy direction of the Trump administration, it is difficult to be certain that the existing Korea-US FTA on the agricultural sector will remain unchanged. This study examines the potential impact of changes in the US beef import tariff rates under the Korea-US FTA, which is progressively eliminated until 2026 using a dynamic partial equilibrium model. The modelling system is simulated with 100% decreases of tariff rates over 2020~2026 period and then compared to the baseline which is developed based on the current Korea-US FTA tariff rates. According to the scenario analyses results, 100% decreases of US beef tariff rate lowered Korean beef cattle production value up to 4.23%. Looking at this change in terms of absolute value rather than percentage, the total production value over 2020~2026 is expected to decrease by 815 billion won compared to Baseline. This reduction in production value in dynamic analysis is 67 billion won higher than the comparative static analysis.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.525-541
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• 2012

This study aims to investigate the possibility of Investor-State Dispute under Korea US FTA in relation to Korean environmental impact assessment scheme. The study analyzes the Investor-State Dispute case between Bilcon of Delaware and the government of Canada. The case study shows that Bilcon challenged Canada with violations of NAFTA 1102, 1103 and 1105, arguing that Canada treated Bilcon in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner. The study analyzes two different scenarios that Korea could face with arbitration for alleged breach of its obligations under the Korea US FTA in relation to EIA scheme. From analyzing the case study in relation to two different scenarios, the study finds that problems previously identified and associated with EIA scheme in Korea could directly or indirectly cause Investor-State Dispute Settlement process between Korea and American investors. The study concludes that the risk of violating Korea US FTA related with Korean EIA could be reduced by creating Korean EIA scheme in a transparent and unarbitrary manner which guarantees fair public participation and elaborating the concrete meaning of sustainable development in EIA law.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.95-116
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• 2009

Korea-Us FTA negotiation started in February 2006 with a view to overcoming those uncertainties in the global market and was finally concluded in April, 2007. The Agreement was officially signed between ministers two month later and it is expected to be ratified this year even though the process is most likely to be painful in both countries by the political resistances. For the new President of the United States, effective leadership will depends largely on how to encourage domestic industries such as Automobile industry and Iron and Steel industry from the financial crisis. Many trading partners of US worry about US foreign trade policy changes to protectionism that might be unequal to bear. Korea textile industry is one of the major industry in Korea as it occupies 15% of total number of manufacturers, 11% of total employment and 5% of national GDP. Korea-US FTA will provide a breakthrough for bouncing back by exploring new market. US agreed to remove all tariff and non-tariff barriers to 87% of textile items under trading. This study shows that Korean textile industry has been losing it's competitiveness as textile quota system abolished in the year 2005 and has been traced by pursuers such as China, India and Vietnam. In case of woven fabric which was a representing export item of Korea lost price competitiveness against China after 2005. This study seeks the strategy of Korea textile industry in the US market by utilizing the capacity of KOTRA offices in US. All possible statistical data obtained in the US were used for analysing the competitiveness. Fabrics and Garments are analysed independently with a view to finding out real trends of textile market in US. This study also suggest Korea's textile industry strategic ideas obtained from the potential buyers to show the way to penetrate into US market.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.221-250
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• 2008

This study investigated and analyzed the export competitiveness of Gyeonggi-Do and the effect of Korea-US FTA on its export competitiveness. By reviewing the current status of trade structure and implementing trade specialization index(TSI) of export commodities of Gyeonggi-Do, the investigation has listed the specific export commodities with competitiveness for increasing the volume of its export in the United States, in the short, mid and long run perspectives. From the findings in this study, it suggests specific trade and commercial policies to Korea-US FTA including implementing commodity-oriented export supporting system, strategic marketing method, economic-free-zone plan, R&D investment, export financing and regional economic cooperation.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.118-137
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• 2019

Purpose - As global trade disputes intensify and global trade uncertainty increases due to the prevailing trade protectionism all over the world, mega-FTAs such as the RCEP and CPTPP are suggested as strategic trade policy options for export-driven small open economies, such as Korea. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of Korea's mega-FTA participation and the induced implications for the Korean economy. Design/methodology - We use a multi-region, multi-sector global CGE model, and investigate the different effects of both the US-China and US-EU trade wars on the relative changes in GDP, welfare, and trade under different trade policy regimes; (i) Korea does not participate in any mega-FTA, (ii) Korea participates in the RCEP, and (iii) Korea participates in the CPTPP. Findings - We show, among others, that though industrial effects might be largely varied, the overall enlarging of free trade zones through multilateral mega-FTA participation may contribute significantly to the macroeconomic soundness and stability of Korea, even when global trade protectionism prevails. Under RCEP and CPTPP trade regimes, Korea's GDP may increase even when the global trade environment deteriorates as trade wars occur and intensify between the US and China, or between the US and EU. It is also estimated that RCEP participation increases Korea's GDP, welfare (measured in equivalent variation), and total trade by 1.12%, $1.09 billion, and 2.54%, respectively, while CPTPP participation increases them by 0.19%, $0.92 billion, and 0.13%, respectively. Originality/value - Existing studies usually focus on the direct impacts of mega-FTA participation on macroeconomic variables such as GDP, welfare, and trade, and do not consider the possible buffer effects of a mega-FTA when the global trade environment worsens. In this paper, we analyze and quantify not only the direct impacts of RCEP and CPTPP on the main macroeconomic variables but also the possible buffer effects of the RCEP and CPTPP in the cases of the US-China and US-EU trade wars.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.1043-1051
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• 2009

This study intends to discuss the influence on behaviors of won/dollar exchange rate after a FTA between Korea and US come into effect. The change of behaviors of won/dollar exchange rate has been looked into concerning other countries who have signed a FTA pact with the US, and these examples were compared with that of Korea so as to find similarities and differences. As a result of analyses, behaviors of exchange rate between FTA-pact countries were showed differently. Volatility and risk premium somewhat decreased after the FTA took effect except for Chile. As for Chile, showing intense volatility, foreign exchange risk premium rather increased. It can be concluded that the relationship between volatility and risk premium of individual exchange rate is established and FTA can influence change of these behaviors of exchange rate depending on the situation of individual country. This study will contribute to offer informations to Korea trading companies related to IT that will have to prepare for the uncertainties of change of exchange rate due to FTA between Korea and US.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.588-595
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness levels of Korean textile companies and develop appropriate response plans for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. Through such, the study aims to explore practical and realistic directions that the Korean textile industry must take in the future. As for the research method, a survey on the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement was conducted to 50 Korean textile companies which mainly deal in textile exports. Results showed that Korean textile companies possess above average awareness for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement and carry the perception that the FTA has thus far had a positive effect of market revitalization and contributions to sales. Nonetheless, perceptions on the needs for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement and level of awareness were below average while government assistance seen to be unsatisfactory. Such results suggest that measures for successful access to the U.S. market require developing products customized for the U.S. market and creating new market opportunities by participating in U.S. exhibits and shows. In addition, textile companies must develop their abilities for self-sustainability through continuous FTA related programs provided by government in addition to investing efforts to understand global markets within companies through response measures on the FTA as a whole.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.905-916
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting US beef consumption intention in the future, to identify the causes of US beef import growth and to derive implications and strategies for domestic beef producers. Since the KORUS FTA was signed in 2012, US beef imports in 2017 totaled 379,064 tons, an annual increase of 3.5 percent. US beef imports have been steadily increasing due to cuts in FTA tariffs and changes in consumer preferences. The data used in this study utilized a sample of 3,290 grocery purchasers from the Korea Rural Economic Institute's 2016 Food Consumption Behavior Survey. The analytical method used the Ordered Logit Model to analyze what factors influence a consumer's subjective evaluation. As a result, the major factors affecting US beef consumption intention in the future are price, taste and safety. In particular, it has to do with the recent surge in U.S. imports of good-tasting chilled meat. Because chilled meat does not differentiate the market from Hanwoo beef produced in Korea, it is necessary to have differentiated taste and low price through cost reduction. By age and family group, people aged 30 - 40 years and single-person households are the main consumption group. As a result of this study, it is necessary to establish marketing strategies for producers such as rational pricing, safety, taste promotion, and small-scale sales to extend the demand for Hanwoo beef in the younger generation to enhance the competitiveness of the domestic beef market.