• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-28
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• 2019

This study suggests that Korea - Russia economic cooperation, which has been sluggish in the meantime, should be revitalized as a small, medium sized business that can be practiced at the local level of both countries. Some large scales of national projects were difficult to realize due to some internal and external factors. Therefore, if Russia's Far East region of the complementary economic structure with the Korea's Gyeonggi Province of Korea could form the basis of cooperation by centering on SMEs, it further can be positive for promoting cooperation among South Korea, North Korea and Russia. The trilateral cooperation among two Koreas and Russia is necessary for the balance of political and economic powers in the East Asia. China's retaliation case regarding THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) clearly showed that the greater the economic dependence on a particular country, the more threatening it could be. Therefore, it is important for the political and economic security to keep the balance by diversifying economic cooperation counterparts. As China's influence in the global economy grows, building value chains for mutual prosperity with various neighboring countries is gaining great importance. To this end, this paper examined Russia's Eurasian Strategy, New East Policy, and Far East Development Policy which were designed to seek the way to establish Russia's independent economic zone not absorbed by Europe and China.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.83-97
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• 2022

Purpose - In this paper, we, taking South Korea's foreign direct investment in RCEP partners as an example, will examine its investment efficiency in these countries and analyze the main influencing factors, making suggestions for further liberalizing and facilitating its investment in and even for promoting its trade and economic cooperation with them. Design/methodology - In this study, we look at the panel data of South Korea and the other 13 RCEP countries (Brunei excluded) from 2000 to 2019 and apply the stochastic frontier analysis to measure its foreign direct investment efficiency and explore the influencing factors in RCEP countries. We examine the investment potential of South Korea in these places. Findings - We find that South Korea's average investment efficiency in RCEP countries reached 0.62, indicating large investment potential. We also find that its investment efficiency in RCEP partners was heterogeneous. Our study reveals that South Korea's foreign direct investment is significantly positively correlated with the market size and population of the two countries, as well as with whether the host country has a coastline and rich natural resources, while negatively with geographic distance. It shows that free trade agreements, economic freedom, and regulatory quality play significant roles in improving investment efficiency. Originality/value - Through theoretical and empirical analysis, we deal with the efficiency and influencing factors of South Korea's direct investment in RCEP partners, proposing new drivers for facilitating its trade and investment in these countries and comprehensively evaluating the efficiency and revealing the trend of its FDI in these countries. In this paper, we put forward a solid theoretical basis for empirical analysis of the future economic and trade development between South Korea and its RCEP partners and give objective insights for further improving its foreign direct investment efficiency and tapping its investment potential.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.99-112
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• 2022

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates via a spatial lag model from the perspective of space economy to find the influencing factors of South Korea's OFDI along with 60 countries. Design/methodology - In the study of regional economic phenomena, we must first test the corresponding spatial correlation, and on this basis, complete the construction of the spatial model. For the target research object, after testing the spatial correlation, if there is spatial correlation, a spatial measurement model is needed. This paper uses the global Moran's I index for calculation. Based on the characteristics and research needs of the research object, this paper selects the spatial lag model to verify the existence of the spatial effect and factors affecting OFDI. Findings - Our results show that export scale, infrastructure, technology level, political stability, resource endowment, market size, distance and labor cost have a certain impact on Korea's OFDI, but at present the distance and market size factors are the most important influencing factors for South Korea's OFDI, The technical level and political stability have little effect on South Korea's OFDI, and are not main factors determining South Korea's OFDI. Originality/value - Through spatial measurement verification, it was found that the spatial effect has a significant impact on OFDI, along with more than 60 countries. On this basis, relevant suggestions are put forward, which have strong practical significance for South Korea's OFDI to achieve healthy and sustainable development.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.253-265
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• 2022

This paper examines South Korea's past developmental experience and its current strategy and policy initiatives to overcome global and domestic challenges and sustain economic growth in the twenty-first century, the digital and global era, to explain how the country became a high-income economy. The findings of this research highlight the following three factors: First, the most significant factor in rapid industrialization was the adoption of an outward-looking strategy, with the help of a highly skilled workforce and the development of high-tech manufacturing and services sectors, which was supported by the government plans. Second, the high R&D intensity helped South Korea become a global leader in information and communication technologies, which has emerged from a top-down innovation system that promotes close collaboration between government, industry, and the academic community. Third, according to the recently released Global Entrepreneurship Index, South Korea tops the region in entrepreneurship environment. Among the list of criteria, South Korea dominates in the ease of starting a business and enforcing contracts. They all play a significant role in encouraging investment, production, communication, and, eventually, economic growth. Finally, this paper suggests forward-looking developments promoting transformation and diversification into high-tech manufacturing and digital and green technologies.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.47-60
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• 2023

Purpose - This paper assesses the trade potential and efficiency of Korea and China in the aquatic products trade. Trade efficiency and potential are the main factors that affect the growth of a country's trade. In this study, a time-varying stochastic frontier trade gravity model was constructed to analyze the trade potential and efficiency between Korea and China. By integrating the results of trade theory and empirical analysis, measures and suggestions were proposed to encourage the release of trade potential of fish exports between Korea and China. Design/methodology - In this paper, GDP per capita instead of economic size was chosen as an explanatory variable, and population size and relative distance were selected as explanatory variables to measure trade potential. For trade non-efficiency terms, regional organizations, political factors, and economic factors were mainly considered, and variables such as free trade agreements, political stability, regulatory quality, government efficiency, currency freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom, and trade freedom were selected. Panel data for South Korea and 14 aquatic products trading partners (including China) from 2002 to 2020 were used in the empirical analysis. Findings - In the past 19 years, South Korea's export trade potential of aquatic products to China has never been lower than 70%. It was above 90% from 2006 to 2018, and has been at a high level for a long time. This shows that China's aquatic product market has large potential for development. Originality/value - This study examines the effectiveness and potential of South Korea's exports of aquatic items to China in a methodical and comprehensive empirical manner. The evaluation of the export trade potential of South Korea's aquatic goods to China is more precise when the effects of regional organization, political, and economic variables are taken into account in the trade non-efficiency term of the stochastic frontier gravity model. At the same time, we propose to increase the scale of South Korea's aquatic products trade from the perspective of China's demand. This issue of trade studies is underexplored both empirically and in theory, although the issue has long been important to Korean and world trade.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.173-182
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• 2024

While the current share of marine energy in South Korea is less than 1%, it is globally recognized as a resource approximately four times the annual electricity production. Considering the diverse geographical features of the East Sea, South Sea, and West Sea, marine energy development is crucial for South Korea and essential for achieving the 2050 carbon neutrality goal. Policy efforts for marine energy deployment focus on establishing an innovative, open, and integrated R&D system to respond flexibly. The construction of a scientific, economic, and social valid site selection system, along with a maritime spatial planning regime that considers environmental and socio-economic impacts, is emphasized. To expedite the early activation of marine energy, comprehensive policy endeavors, including discriminatory support policies and participation in international standardization, are anticipated to contribute to the sustainable development and dissemination of marine energy. Marine renewable energy plays a significant role in sustainability and addressing climate change, considered an essential component of South Korea's efforts toward carbon neutrality.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.20-29
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• 2023

This study suggests integration scheme for agricultural governance of South and North Korea after unification by comparing and analyzing their current agricultural governance, assuming drastic changes of economic system in integration process after unification. The North Korea's critical food shortage will force reformation of its agricultural governance to be the top priority in integration process after unification. The agricultural governance of South and North Korea has comparable structures. However, the North Korea's agricultural governance is extremely inefficient because it is established for political purposes. The integration scheme suggested includes expansion of Rural Development Administration, integration of research institutes, establishment of branch of Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries, transformation of existing North Korea's organization into South Korea's system and preparation of training programs for North Korea's officials.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.639-653
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• 2020

Baker et al. (Quarterly Journal of Economics, 134, 1593-1636, 2016) developed an Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) index for South Korea in the same way as the U.S. EPU Index. However, the South Korean EPU index of Baker et al. (2016) has limitations as it did not fully reflect South Korean situation in terms of keyword selection and the selection of newspapers. We develop monthly South Korean economic policy uncertainty indexes with different keywords and news media. Various analyses have been conducted in order to examine the usefulness of the newly compiled indexes.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.155-177
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• 1991

The promotion of economic exchange and cooperation between North and South Korea is significant in two ways. First, the pursuit of economic interest can lead gradually to the unification of the national economies. Second, economic relations can serve as the first stride toward political reunification. There are, however, many difficulties in conceiving a strategy for economic cooperation between North and South Korea because of their differences in ideology and socio-economic system. Under these circumstances, a bid by either the North or the South to consider its specific ideology or socio-economic system absolute and to impose them on the other side would inevitably lead to confrontation and collision and deepen the division of the country. Therefore, steps to expand and develop economic and technological cooperation and comprehensive exchanges between the North and the South, with due regard to the development of bilateral relations, are in full accord with the interests of the both sides. It is clear that North Korea's changing attitude toward its environmental conditions is neither a policy of opening nor an ideological shift toward pragmatism, as has occurred in the Eastern European countries. Instead, it is a temporary tactic for breaking out of the economic stagnation caused by its rigid economic structure. In this light, we must.

• Strategy21
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• s.37
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• pp.104-143
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• 2015

China's new grand strategy, the "One Belt, One Road Initiative" (also Belt Road Initiative, or BRI) has two primary components: Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the "Silk Road Economic Belt" in September 2013 during a visit to Kazakhstan, and the "21^st Century Maritime Silk Route Economic Belt" in a speech to the Indonesian parliament the following month. The BRI is intended to supply China with energy and new markets, and also to integrate the countries of Central Asia, the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), and the Indian Ocean Region - though not Northeast Asia - into the "Chinese Dream". The project will be supported by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), due to open in 2016 with 57 founding members from all around the world, and China has already promised US$ 50 billion in seed funding. China's vision includes networks of energy pipelines, railways, sea port facilities and logistics hubs; these will have obvious commercial benefits, but also huge geopolitical significance. China seems to have two distinct aims: externally, to restore its historical sphere of influence; and internally, to cope with income inequalities by creating middle-class jobs through enhanced trade and the broader development of its economy. In South Korea, opinion on the BRI is sharply polarized. Economic and industrial interests, including Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), support South Korean involvement in the BRI and closer economic interactions with China. They see how the BRI fits nicely with President Park Geun-hye's Eurasia Initiative, and anticipate significant commercial benefits for South Korea from better connections to energy-rich Russia and the consumer markets of Europe and Central Asia. They welcome the prospect of reduced trade barriers between China and South Korea, and of improved transport infrastructure, and perceive the political risks as manageable. But some ardently pro-US pundits worry that the political risks of the BRI are too high. They cast doubt on the feasibility of implementing the BRI, and warn that although it has been portrayed primarily in economic terms, it actually reveals a crucial Chinese geopolitical strategy. They are fearful of China's growing regional dominance, and worried that the BRI is ultimately a means to supplant the prevailing US-led regional security structure and restore the Middle Kingdom order, with China as the only power that matters in the region. According to this view, once China has complete control of the regional logistics hubs and sea ports, this will severely limit the autonomy of China's neighbors, including South Korea, who will have to toe the Chinese line, both economically and politically, or risk their own peace and prosperity.