• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.383-391
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• 2017

This study examines the relationship between sentiment of speculators and price movements in the futures markets of WTI crude oil, copper, and wheat during the period 2003~2014 using Granger causality tests. The results indicate that speculative positions overall has no predictive power for returns in each futures market. Rather, returns seem to have effects on speculators' sentiment especially during periods of both economic expansion and recovery. During a recession, meanwhile, changes of speculators' sentiment index in the WTI crude oil and copper markets provide predictive power for returns in a positive direction, suggesting that speculators' pessimistic sentiment aggravates declines in commodity prices. Since the effects of speculative positions on market prices are ambiguous, tight regulations on speculative trading are not advisable. In a bearish market, however, regulatory bodies should consider raising speculative position limits because large speculative short positions and (or) liquidation of index traders' long positions may lead steep price declines.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.33-69
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• 2010

This paper examines the causes of the terms of trade decline in Korea since the mid-1990s, using the decomposition methodology suggested by Baxter and Kouparitsas (2000) as well as regression analysis. The main empirical results are summarized as follows. The decomposition exercise of changes in terms of trade showed that Korea's terms of trade decline for the past decade or so is attributable to goods price effect which were driven by the rise of oil prices relative to manufactures. The decomposition of terms of trade change for 55 countries showed that terms of trade decline due to goods price effect is a phenomenon that was commonly observed for exporters of manufactures since mid-1990s. These results suggest that external factors such as China's trade expansion, rather than internal factors, are mostly responsible for the decline in terms of trade. In accordance with these results, the regression results suggest that China's trade expansion contributed to Korea's terms of trade decline, especially in 2000s, by raising the import prices of oil and raw materials and lowering the export prices of manufacturing products.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1-26
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper investigates the recent trade collapse, recovery, and prolonged slowdown to shed light on the discussions about whether the current slowdown is structural or cyclical. I examine structural, cyclical, and heterogeneous aspects of the recent trade trends using detailed statistics of a small open economy, South Korea, whose economic success and growth have been heavily dependent on exports. Design/methodology - I use both aggregated and disaggregated trade statistics of South Korea. I apply the following methodologies: 1) I decompose the trade growth into the extensive and the intensive margin and observe the effect of prices over time. 2) I estimate the trade-income elasticities focusing on the world's import demand, separately for goods from the world and from Korea. 3) I compare the drop in goods exports in slowdown and trade collapse, which are the two unusual periods in the recent history when world trade has substantially dropped altogether. Findings - I show that while the last drop of trade after 2015 has cyclical aspects, there is evidence that the continued slowdown from 2012 is structural: 1) the so-called 'China factor' is found in the analysis of trade-income elasticity of the world and China for imports from Korea. 2) The bilateral trade barriers between Korea and its principal trading partners are universally tightening. 3) Firm sizes, destination countries, and the mode of transactions affect disaggregated trade flows during the slowdown periods. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the debate regarding whether the current trade slowdown is structural or cyclical. I provide two concrete evidence that the export drop in 2015 stems from low oil prices: one is the divergence of Korean export value index from its export quantity index, which started in late 2014 when oil prices plunged. I also contribute to the literature by providing evidence that Korea's trade barriers with important trading partners are steadily increasing since 2012 as the protectionist measures toward Korea's export products are steeply increasing after the global financial crisis.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.29-34
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• 2009

Recently, we have a lot interest in a sudden rise of oil prices and a change weather for the earth warmming, so, development of new alternative fuels need in order to spare fossil fuel and reduce exhaust emissions for air pollution prevention. Biodiesel, which can be generated from natural renewable sources such as new or used vegetable oils or animal fats, may be used as fuel in diesel engine of compression ignition engine. In this paper, the combustion characteristics between neat diesel oil and biodiesel blends(10 vol.% biodiesel and 20 vol.% biodiesel) were tested using four stroke, direct injection diesel engine, especially this biodiesel was produced from soybean oil at our laboratory. This analysis showed that cylinder pressures, the rate of pressure rises and the rate of heat releases were decreased as the blending ratios of biodiesel to diesel oil increased because of lower heating value of biodiesel in spite of increased oxygen content in biodiesel.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.39-50
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• 2022

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine how Korea's macroeconomic factors, such as GDP, CPI, Export, Import, Unemployment rate and USD/KRW exchange rate, are affected by the oil price shocks. Design/methodology/approach - This study used monthly and quarterly time-series data of each variable for the period 1983 to 2022, consisting of two sub-periods, to employ Granger causality test and GARCH method in order to identify the role of the oil price movement in macroeconomic factors in Korea. Findings - Korea's currency rate to the US dollar is negatively correlated with the price change of crude oil while the GDP change is positively correlated with the price change of crude oil with strong relationship between Export and Import in particular. The exchange rate and GDP growth are believed to be not correlated with the oil price change for the pre-GFC period. According to the Granger causality test, the price change in crude oil has a causal impact on CPI, Export and Import while other factors are relatively slightly affected. Transmission effect from the oil price to Export is found and there also exists volatility spillover from oil price to economic variables under examination. Comparing two sub-periods, CPI and Export volatility responds negatively to shocks in the oil price for the pre-GFC period while volatility of CPI and Unemployment reacts positively to the oil price shocks for the post-GFC period. Research implications or Originality - The findings of this study could be helpful for both domestic and international investors to build their portfolio for the risk management since rising WTI price can be interpreted as a result of global economic growth and ensuing increase in the worldwide demand of the crude oil. Consequently, the national output is expected to increase and the currency is also expected to be strong in the long run.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.9-29
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• 1994

The development of separation technology is an important research subject as is clear from its role in the Japanese government's research and development program for basic technology for the next generation(1981~1990). Japan is poor not only in mineral resources but also in energy resources and if a sudden change occurs in oil producing facility or an accident occurs in a nuclear power plant, then energy policy must undergo changes and economic foundations may collapse. Japan has already experienced this. Although, oil prices are stable at present and Japan can import oil at low cost due to the yen appreciation, Japan needs to promote development work for any new energy crisis that may come in the future. This has been the motive for gas separation membrane development in Japan. The study of gas permeation through polymer membranes, which is the basis for membranes for gas separation, at Japanese universities began many years ago, but interest in membranes for gas separation was aroused mainly by the Government. The development of gas separation membranes in Japan started with membranes for oxygen separation on an industrial scale.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1994.03a
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• pp.23-52
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• 1994

The development if separation technology is an important research subject as is clear from its role in the Japanese government's research abd development program for basic technology for the next generation (1981~1990). Japan is poor not only in mineral resources but also in energy resources and if a sudden change occurs in oil producing facility or an accident occurs in a nuclear power plant, then energy policy must undergo changes and economic foundations may collapse. Japan has already experienced this. Although, oil prices are stable at present and Japan can import oil at low cost due to the yen appreciation, Japan needs to promote development work for any new energy crisis that may come in the future. This has been the motive for gas separation membrane development in Japan.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.943-964
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• 2005

This study estimated a wide range of stochastic process models using the frameworks of CKLS (1992) and Nowman and Wang (2001). For empirical analysis, the GMM estimation procedure is adopted for the monthly Brent crude oil prices from January 1996 to January 2005. Using the simulated price series, European call option premiums were calculated and compared each other. The empirical results suggest that the crude oil price has a strong dependency of volatility on the price level. Contrary to the results of previous related studies, it shows a weak tendency of mean reversion. In addition, the models provide different implications for pricing derivatives on crude oil.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.285-294
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• 2022

Using the ARDL approach, this study examined the impact of macro factors on Vietnam's stock market in the short and long run from 2010 to 2021. The State Bank of Vietnam and the International Monetary Fund provided time series data for this study. Research results show that in the long run, money supply and exchange rate respectively affect the stock market. The money supply had a positive effect on the VN-Index, while the exchange rate showed the opposite effect. However, the study did not find a relationship between world oil price and interest rates on VN-Index in the long run. On the other hand, in the short term, there are relationships between variables; specifically, interest rates and exchange rates have a negative impact on the VN-Index, while the world oil price and the fluctuation of money supply M2 of the previous one and two months showed an impact in the same direction on this index. The differences in the regression results on the impact of exchange rate and oil price on the VN-Index compared to previous studies come from the characteristics of Vietnam's stock market, with the large capitalization of companies in the oil and gas sector, and the structure of Vietnam's economy with export heavily depends on FDI sector.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.148-165
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• 2017

An assortment of daily supplies have been documented in and accounting book that Hwa-sun Song, a wholesale dealer in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do, sent to Young-hui Sin, a customer. This study analyzed a total of 163 documentations in the accounting book between 1910 to 1916, which includes types of daly supplies, trading volume, and prices, maintained accounting between. Consequently, we are able to indentify companies that produced the applicable goods, names of products, units by which goods were counted, and the lowest and highest prices prevailing, along with kinds of goods patronized in everyday life in Hongcheon in the early 20th century. Paper had the maximum trading volume. The second, most traded were cigarettes, a symbol of the new culture. These were traded under various brand names, such as Kkotpyo, Guksyu, Sanhopyo, Syonghak, and Joil. Foodstuffs, were the third most traded items, including fish, fruits, sugar, Waeddeok, Chilwaeddeok, Color candies and Okchyun candies. Our results indicate that the snack food business had developed since the 19th century. Lighting equipment, oil, candles, matches as well as traditional oil lamps and flints cornered the fourth largest stock being traded. Medications were fifth, with prescriptions written for Insohwan, Hoechyungsan and Siungo, including quinine, a medicine for malaria. Other trades included kitchen appliances such as soup bowls, porcelain bowls, kettles, and drinking cups, and a variety of daily supplies such as mirrors, mats, umbrellas, Geumjiwaemil, hair oil imported from Japan, and soap.