• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.77
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• pp.195-214
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• 2018

In order to analyze the current status of trade with Korea and FTA partner countries, the Trade Intensity Index and the Market Comparative Advantage index were calculated and analyzed using panel gravity model. In the case of trade, trade intensity index has been strengthened according to each FTA enforecement, and in some cases, trade inensity has been weakened. In the case of the comparative advantage index, there was a case in which the comparative advantage was strengthened or the comparative advantage was not significantly changed according to each Chapter of HS code. This means that the Korea's FTA enforcement effect has not directly affected the increase of the trade intensity and the increase of the market comparative advantage index. The panel gravity model using the trade intensity and the comparative advantage index as the dependent variable and the trade volume between the two countries as the dependent variable was analyzed.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.35-44
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• 2015

Purpose - To accelerate economic cooperation, this study investigates trade structures of Korea and the United States and identifies trade discrepancies. Such discoveries can lead to increases in trade volume by improving policies, eventually uncovering ways for trade expansion. Research design, data, and methodology - The Index of trade intensity, from trade intensity theory, is used to analyze the trade decision factors. Even though specific factors should materialize in the analysis, realistically, concrete explanations are difficult as there are so many unsolved factors and diversifications. Results - First, the Index of A value/ B value positions Korean against the United States in terms of market share and Korea against world market share, which thereby reveals comparative market intensity. Second, Korea is taking comparative advantage of export specialization. Third, real comparative advantage indices are considerably improved since early 2000. Conclusions - This study uses quantitative measurements and trade intensity theory and trade specialization to come up with a comparative advantage index to see how inter-trade relations between Korea and the United States have changed over the past 10 years.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.33-40
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• 2013

Purpose - This study, in seeking to understand the trade structure of both Korea and China, aims to strengthen Korea-China economic cooperation; it examines trade impediments by analyzing the problems affecting trade and addressing these problems, thereby discovering ways to expand trade between these countries. Research Design, Data, and Methodology - The index of trade intensity developed by the trade intensity theory (Kruger, 1997) is used to analyze the trade decision factors of both countries. Although specific factors should have materialized from the analysis of trade decision factors, determining concrete explanations is difficult in reality, as there are many unsolved and diverse factors. Results - First, the index of A value/B value is the index of Korean versus Chinese market share/Korean versus world market share, which is a measure of comparative market intensity. Second, Korea has a comparative advantage in export specialization and, conversely, China has a comparative advantage in import specialization. Third, compared to 2000, the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) indexes are considerably improved. Conclusions - This study used quantitative measurement for analysis, applying trade intensity theory, trade specialization, and RCA indexes to gauge how inter-trade relations have changed between Korea and China during the past 10 years (2000, 2005, and 2012).

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.117-144
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• 2009

This paper analyzes how Korea's trade intensity with major ASEAN countries changed from 2000 to 2005. For this purpose, we measured the trade intensity index, the trade complementarity index, and the special country bias index between Korea and ASEAN countries by the trade intensity index model developed by Yamazawa (1970). The OECD trade matrix was used as data. We found that Korea's trade intensity with Indonesia increased from 8.91 in 2000 to 10.88 in 2005 due to a considerable increase in Korea's special country bias with Indonesia from 9.58 in 2000 to 10.75 in 2005. Therefore Korea's special country bias with Indonesia should be enhanced further by increasing capital movements and reducing discriminatory tariffs and other import restrictions between Korea and Indonesia. It was also found that trade intensity between Korea and other ASEAN countries (i.e., Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) shows a similar pattern of the above trade intensity between Korea and Indonesia except the trade complementarity.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.67-79
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• 2023

Purpose: To investigate the intensity of bilateral international trade of the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) countries with Kazakhstan, its relationship with logistics (LPI), to assess their contribution to economic growth and distribution of commodity flows. Research design, data, and methodology: The method of analyzing the bilateral trade flow was applied by using the trade intensity index (TII) and a multidimensional regression model describing the relationship between LPI and its components, TII, the volume of exports and imports, GDP. Results: The nature and directions of the relationship between TII and the key components of logistics, the positive impact of LPI on the intensity of trade are established. It is revealed that the intensity of trade between the countries in the direction of the EAEU-Kazakhstan has a greater impact on the growth of LPI than in the opposite direction. At the same time, the higher the level of trade integration and the volume of GDP, the stronger their impact on the efficiency of logistics and distribution of commodity flows. Conclusions: Effective distribution of commodity flows will require the development of logistics components based on the direction of bilateral trade and the size of countries, the intensification of state reforms in the field of international trade and distribution logistics.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.88-107
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• 2021

Purpose - Using a model that highlights Ricardian comparative advantage and Cournot competition, I derive theoretical predictions on how bilateral measures of trade intensity, specialization, and intra-industry are interrelated, and how Ricardian productivity differences affect these measures. We test the predictions using trade and production data, and confirm them. Design/methodology - A simple two-country general equilibrium model is constructed to derive theory-based bilateral indexes. We then test the relationships among them using panel data for 35 countries and 14 industries between 1996 and 2008. Findings - Bilateral trade intensity is increasing in specialization, as in the classical trade theory, and in intra-industry trade, as in the new trade theory. However, productivity differences positively affect specialization, and negatively affect intra-industry trade. These effects cancel each other; thus productivity differences have little impact on trade intensity. Originality/value - This paper provides a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding the relationship among trade intensity, specialization, intra-industry trade, and productivity differences. We derive theory-consistent measures of specialization, intra-industry trade, and productivity differences. Moreover, we reevaluate the empirical relevance of these variables for the study of gravity equations. This paper is also an effort to capture oligopolistic competition in a general equilibrium framework, interests in which recently resurged.

• 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.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.131-152
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• 2012

This study has analyzed the international trade flow of medical devices in Korea, China, and Japan more theoretically and systematically through a mutual connection of the medical device export structure of Korea and the import structure of China and Japan organically, with an intensity approach on the bilateral international trade flow. Also, it is meaningful to find a solution to boost exports of Korea to China and Japan. Therefore in this study, we recognize the importance of the medical device market in China and Japan, which is the main competition for Korea and its market, and look into the trade situation of these three countries. We also look into the relative market stream and the trade intensity of the main medical devices in Korea, China and Japan, and seek measures for the steady growth of the medical device market in these three countries.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.126-142
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• 2021

Purpose - This study discusses the effects of human capital in the formation of GVC linkages. We also investigate GVC intensity between Korea and ASEAN. Design/methodology - To solve the doubling-counting problem in evaluating comparative advantage, RCA has been re-computed using domestic value-added (henceforth RCA_VA) at the country-sector level instead of value of trade. The impact of human capital on GVC intensity was empirically analyzed by establishing a panel data set with four industries (ISIC Rev. 4) in eight ASEAN countries from 2005 to 2015 from OECD-TiVA and WDI. Findings - The empirical results show that human capital has a negative effect on GVC intensity in the agriculture and manufacture industries, while it has a positive effect in the service and information industries. The results do not mean that low human capital is a barrier and inefficient to GVC linkages. Low Value-added activities may be more profitable to some emerging countries. These findings suggest that it is important to accurately identify the competitive elements to increase gains from trade under the GVC. Also, it shows that comparative advantages can be misled by an RCA index evaluated in trade volume under the GVC. Originality/value - This study highlights the importance of human capital as a factor for the efficient formation of Global Value Chain (GVC). This study has different from the literature in analyzing the role of human capital in formation of linkage of the GVC. And we clarify the changing patterns of trade by removing the double-counting problem under the GVC.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1-18
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• 2020

Purpose - This paper examines how differently output and input tariffs affect domestic employment across industrial characteristics of comparative advantage such as labor quality and capital intensity. Design/methodology - The paper focuses on 453 Korean industries from 2007 to 2014 because Korea is a typical example of a natural resource-scarce open economy and experienced the transition of the export pattern from labor intensity to technology intensity during this period. Findings - The results show that input tariff reduction stimulated total employment, focusing on the early 2010s, while the effects of output tariff reduction were statistically insignificant in general. However, the stimulation effects of output tariff reduction on employment were found in comparative advantage industries with greater labor quality and capital intensity. As for input tariff reduction, its stimulation effects on employment were more prominent in comparative disadvantage industries with lower labor quality and capital intensity. Originality/value - These results provide significant implications for natural resource-scarce open economies which are experiencing the transition of the export pattern from labor intensity to technology intensity and the unequal distribution of income after trade liberalization: imported intermediate inputs has become increasing important, leading to trade effects on employment and alleviation of income inequality.