• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2016

Purpose - Considering industrialization development stages, an economic effect of ASEAN free trade agreement (FTA) on foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into the ASEAN countries was analyzed. Research design, data, and methodology - utilizing macro-level panel data from 2001 to 2012, panel regression analysis was conducted with a model constructed based on the knowledge-capital model. Results - As for overall ASEAN countries, ASEAN FTA was positively effective to attract vertical FDI to this region, while horizontal FDI was dominant before ASEAN FTA. Meanwhile, for the diversified economy relevant to Singapore, ASEAN FTA was not effective to attract FDI. For the ongoing industrialization economy relevant to Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, ASEAN FTA was negatively effective to attract FDI; ASEAN FTA became a strong incentive to replace foreign investments with trade transactions for the horizontal firms, but an influence of market potentials after ASEAN FTA, which induces to third-country effects such as export platform FDI, has increased. For the incipient industrialization economy relevant to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, ASEAN FTA was positively effective to attract vertical FDI. Conclusions - The effectiveness of FTA on FDI inflows varied considerably by the industrialization development stages of host countries.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.95-111
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to draw out the trade effect of the Korea ASEAN FTA by carrying out a panel analysis. For achieving such a purpose, Panel Unit Root, Panel Cointegration Test, Pooled OLS, Hausman Test, Fixed Effect, Random effect are performed. The last 15 years's data over the period of 1997 to 2011 concentrated on the ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine, Singapore, Thai, Vietnam is used in this study. Major implications are summarized as following. First, our government need to maximize the effect derived from conclusion of FTA(Free Trade Agreement) in order to enhance the competitive edge through obtaining a stable foreign market. Second, it necessary for our government to improve a national system by orienting a FTA conclusion complying with WTO's product and service-related regulation.

• Journal of Arbitration Studies
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.141-164
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• 2019

The purpose of this paper is to examine the customs clearance and arbitration systems of Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, from among ASEAN countries, and to present the practical implications. This paper analyzes the customs and arbitration systems through a literature review by collecting data from papers, research reports, and laws and regulations related to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. There are significant differences between these countries in relation to customs and payment of customs duties. Also, they have different procedures for the appointment of arbitrators if there is no agreement by the parties as to the number of arbitrators. Therefore, a comparison of the arbitration system and customs clearance procedures in ASEAN countries is timely and necessary, and there is a need for more research to be conducted in the future.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.247-267
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• 2022

Since the Korea-Vietnam FTA was signed in 2015, trade between the two countries has increased rapidly, accounting for 6.8% of Vietnam's exports and 17.9% of its imports in 2020. The two countries show differences in import and export items. Vietnam has a high export ratio of agri-food products or products with the low-middle level of technology, while Korea has a high export ratio of products with the upper-middle level. The purpose of this study is to present implications by analyzing changes in trade competitiveness between Vietnam and Korea by technology level (2002-2020). For this purpose, statistics from UN Comtrade were used, and methodologies such as market share, Export Market Share (EMS), Trade Specialization Index (TSI), Intra-Industrial Trade Index (IIT), Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), and BCG Matrix were used. The results of the study are as follows. First, when looking at Vietnam's trade structure with South Korea by technology level, it was analyzed that the trade deficit widened as it showed a competitive disadvantage in high-tech, ICT, middle- and low-level technology items, excluding low-end technology items. Second, in terms of market share, the market share of Vietnamese products in the Korean market is continuously increasing, while the Korean market share in Vietnam is gradually decreasing from 2017. Third, Vietnam's export competitiveness to Korea by technology level shows that low-level technologies are competitive, but they are inferior in competitiveness in all other technology level, and especially in areas with high technology level, the level of inferiority is high. In conclusion, the trade relationship between Vietnam and Korea has maintained a mutually complementary rather than competitive relationship, which is expected to continue in the future.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.21-41
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• 2022

The effect of change in exchange rates on an economy is very important, especially, to a small open economy like South Korea. I explore whether Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have positive influences on exchange rate-pass through import price of import market for fishery products in South Korea. Competition among FTA partners is enhanced after FTAs are effective. I expect that the extent to which are exchange rate pass-through (hereafter, ERPT) into import price of fishery products (in terms of Korea currency) would be reduced since the import market for fishery products in South Korea is an oligopolistic market. Specifically, I investigate two research questions with six South Korea's FTA partners-Norway, Thailand, Peru, U.S., China and Vietnam. First, whether the extent to which are exchange rate pass-through into import price of fishery products from six FTA partners would decrase in the post-FTA era; seconds, the size of reduction has a negative relation with the size of their market share in the import market for fishery products in South Korea if it decreases. The empirical results indicate that the degree of ERPT into import price from other FTA partners than Norway has been reduced after FTA, statistically and significantly; however, I do not find the evidence that the size of reduction is related to their market share. The findings in this study imply that FTAs have negative effects on producers' economic welfare in South Korea's fishery industry by reducing the extent to which are exchange rate pass-through as well as reducing tariff barriers.

• 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.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.187-203
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• 2021

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of non-tariff barriers on the Free Trade Agreement. Currently, it has achieved significant export effects by signing free trade agreements with many countries in Korea. However, most countries have implemented non-tariff barriers to protect their industries. This study analyzes the effects of non-tariff barriers in counterpart countries that have signed a free trade agreement. Design/methodology/approach - For analysis, first, prior studies were summarized, and second, the current status of free trade agreements and non-tariff barriers were identified. And, based on the current situation, the relationship between non-tariff barriers and export volume was analyzed. The targets of analysis are the United States, China, and Vietnam, which are Korea's three largest exporters. As for non-tariff barriers, anti-dumping tariffs, countervailing tariffs, and emergency import restrictions were analyzed as import regulatory measures. Findings - In the case of the United States, it can be seen that the decline in textiles, steel and electronics sectors is even greater. In the case of China, it can be seen that exports declined after imposing non-tariff barriers in the steel sector. Finally, it can be seen that exports declined after Vietnam implemented a non-tariff barrier on the steel sector. It was found that non-tariff barriers offset the effects of the Free Trade Agreement. Research implications or Originality - Currently, Korea has free trade agreements with numerous countries. However, after the free trade agreement entered into force, the number of annual average import regulation investigations for Korean products is on the rise. In the end, the implementation of non-tariff barriers is offsetting the effects of free trade agreements. Therefore, when signing a free trade agreement, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare for import regulatory measures such as the insertion of provisions of non-tariff barriers.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.101-124
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• 2017

This study is to examine the current situation of the AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) and analyze macroeconomic situation of Vietnam since the launch of AEC. According to recent trade indicators, Vietnam is expected to be more productive in the manufacturing and processing sectors because it is at the heart of the global value chains (GVCs) in electronics, telephones, and textiles and shoes industry. Vietnam has signed or is negotiating free trade agreements with various countries around the world including Korea, Israel, EU and RCEP and so on. Therefore, it is expected that Vietnam's trade dependency and FDI inflows to Vietnam increase more and more. However, the fact that the proportion of exports by foreign-invested companies accounts for about 70% of the total exports implies the uncertainty of Vietnam's economy in the future. Attracting FDI investment can further reduce the competitiveness of domestic companies in Vietnam. Therefore, in order for Vietnam to maintain sustainable development in the future, it is necessary to reform the momentum of foreign-invested enterprises to the development of Vietnamese companies.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.89-97
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• 2018

Purpose - The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) among 16 countries including South Korea, the largest free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region, will be concluded next year. The participating countries decided to pursue a comprehensive and high -quality agreement, while ensuring flexibility considering development level of each country. In this study, trade structures between nations from 2005 through 2016 were examined to see the impact that this agreement will have on Korea and to come up with effective countermeasures. Research design, data, and methodology - The method of analysis includes the analysis of the trade matrix, which is useful for identifying the dependency of the individual countries on the market in the region and the reciprocal dependency of the member countries on the market, and the index of intensity of trade, which is useful for figuring out the share of trade between the parties in total trade. Results - The results showed that first, the international trade coefficients of Vietnam and Philippines are higher than those of China and Japan. Secondly, the international inducement coefficients between China and Japan were high, and that between Indonesia and Burma were low, indicating that Korea's exports did not have much effect on export increase of these countries. Third, as a result of analyzing Korea's trade intensity, it was found that export intensity and import intensity were greater than 1 in Vietnam and Philippines, which shows that there is a high degree of relational bond with these countries. India and Laos countries still have a low level of relational bond, which indicates that there is room for improvement in economic relations when the agreement is concluded. After the signing of the agreement in the future, more diverse industrial structures should be continuously studied. Conclusions - The analysis of trade matrix, trade structure, trade inducement coefficient and trade intensity between Korea and RCEP participating countries shows that the majority of the countries have the high level of economic relationship with Korea. Korea should drive a harder bargain when negotiating the terms of the RCEP, in comparison with the level of the existing FTA agreement excluding Japan.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.15-32
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• 2016

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) has been the most essential organization in Asia. In spite of the world economic crisis, Southeast Asian countries have shown fast economic growth since 2000, and they have been actively expanding investments and trades especially with major countries. Research on competitiveness in ASEAN market has spawned an increasingly large literature, but empirical research on the determinants of Korea's export to ASEAN is limited. The purpose of this study is to draw out the determinant of Korean fisheries export to ASEAN by carrying out a panel analysis. For achieving such a purpose, pooled OLS, Hausman Test, Fixed Effect, Random Effect are performed. The last 20 years' data over the period of 1995 to 2014 concentrated on the ASEAN 6 countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam is used in this study. Amount of aquatic products export to ASEAN is used as the dependent variable; real exchange rate, real GDP, relative price level and GDP per capita are used as the explanatory variables and FTA as dummy variable. Empirical results show that fixed-effect analysis is the best model among all the models. As the fixed effect model shows, real exchange rate, real GDP, GDP per capita and dummy variable(FTA) play positive and statistically significant roles in fisheries export to ASEAN, while price variable plays a negative and statistically significant role to the dependent variable.