• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.885-899
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• 2012

This study investigates the competitiveness of the clothing and textile industry in North Korea, compare to those of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam from 1993 to 2010; in addition, it explores the potential cooperation between South Korea and North Korea. First, a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) was used to investigate the competitive performance of clothing and textile industry in North Korea. The results reveal that North Korea and Viet Nam had superior comparative advantages from 1993 to 2010. Second, in order to investigate the factors that affect the competitive performance, depth interviews based on Porter's Diamond of Competitive Advantage were designed and completed by government officers and practitioners working in the clothing and textile industry field. The results show that cheap labor, the stable demand of South Korea and China for basic products, lack of supporting and related industries, and organizational power highly influence the competitive performance of clothing and textile in North Korea. This result provides insight into the potential and limitations of the clothing and textile business. In addition, this study provides a better understanding of the effects of inter-Korean economic cooperation in socialist states.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.262-269
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• 2019

This study was conducted to pave the way for the development and operation of education and training programs to nurture skilled North Korean construction workers. Such programs would help to meet the expanded demand for setting up infrastructure, which is the backbone of the two Koreas' economic cooperation and mutual development. To achieve this initiative, the targets and scopes of education and training were determined by classifying business types for education and training purposes by construction sector. Furthermore, each education and training course and their allocated time frames were analyzed. Issues related to inter-Korean economic cooperation in the border area were also analyzed to determine regional characteristics. Education and training programs were thus classified into three types of infrastructure units: society, industry, and life infrastructure units. Social infrastructure units are the common demand of the whole border area, including construction of roads, railways, and harbors, as well as inspection and maintenance. Industrial infrastructure units are programs for industrial facilities centering on the designated special economic zone in the western part of the border area. Life infrastructure units are programs for infrastructure facilities such as large, complex facilities and residential facilities for the eastern tourist belt side.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.542-550
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• 2004

In order to promote economic cooperation and future reunification in Korean peninsula, this study is conducted to initiate a reconnecting plan for north and south Korean railways. When practical works to interconnect two counties' railway systems begin, the differences of railway systems such as rail track, railway facilities, communication systems, electrical power systems would be emerged as barrier. In this paper, to solve this problems, plan for the secure system-operational technology is presented. It also could be used for shaping the national transport network and constructing railway operating systems.

• Strategy21
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• s.34
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• pp.128-148
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• 2014

In south Korea, the so-called 'conservative-liberal' rivalry over the assessment of the government's North Korean policies is seen to be impeding the road to right policy choices. For example, the liberals accused former President Lee Myung-bak's hardline policy of provoking Pyongyang and leading to a deterioration of inter-Korean relations, while the conservatives appreciated it for helping nurture mutually beneficial inter-Korean relations in the longer term by compelling North Korea to observe international norms. However, such debate over the vices and virtues of Seoul's North Korea policies is hardly meaningful as the measuring sticks used by the liberals and the conservatives are entirely different matters. The two major goals South Korea must pursue with its North Korean policies should be 'peaceful management of division' and 'change in North Korea'. The former is related to maintaining stability within South Korea and promoting co-prosperity with North Korea. For this, the nation needs to engage, encompass and assist the Pyongyang regime. The second goal is also necessary since South Korea, as a divided nation, must seek a unified Korea under the system of democracy and market economies by bringing change in North Korea. For this, South Korea needs powerful leverages with which it can persuade and coerce the North. This means that the nation is destined to simultaneously chase the above-mentioned two goals, while also both recognizing and negating the legitimacy of the North Korean regime. This situation necessitates Seoul to apply flexibility in reconciling with Pyongyang while applying firm principles to sever the vicious circle involving the North's military provocations. The May 25 Measures, which banned trade and economic cooperation with the North except those related to humanitarian assistance, were taken as sanctions against Pyongyang for sinking the South Korean corvette Chonan in March 2010. The Measures were taken by the Seoul government immediately after a multinational investigation team discovered evidence confirming that the South Korean naval ship had been torpedoed by a midget North Korean submarine. Naturally, the May 24 Measures have since then become a major stumbling block in inter-Korean exchange, prompting opposition politicians and concerned entrepreneurs to demand Seoul to unilaterally lift the Measures. Given the significant damages the Measures have inflicted on inter-Korean economic relations, removing them remains as homework for both Koreas. However, the Measures pertains to the 'principles on national security' the Seoul government must adhere to under all circumstances. This is why North Korea's apology and promises not to repeat similar provocations must come first. For now, South Korea has no alternative but to let North Korea solve the problems it has created. South Korea's role is to help the North do so.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.5-14
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• 2015

Purpose - This study undertakes to examine the automotive trade structure between Korea and Russia to accelerate economic cooperation and pinpoint trade discrepancies to increase trade volume through improved policies, eventually finding ways for trade expansion. Research design, data, and methodology - To analyze trade decision factors for both countries, the Index of trade specialization invented by trade specialization theory, is used. Although specific factors should materialize in the trade decision analysis, realistically, concrete explanations are difficult as many unsolved factors are involved as well as their complexities Results - First, to assess comparative market competitiveness, the Index describes A value/B value, representing the Korean versus the Russia market share and the Korean market share versus the world. Second, the index shows that Korea is taking comparative advantage of its export specialization. Third, the RCA indices show considerable improvement compared to 2000. Conclusions - This research used a quantitative approach to examine trade specialization and examined a comparative advantage index of market share to see how inter-trade relations have changed over the past 10 years.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-246
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• 2020

The global environment is rapidly changing due to the Coronavirus outbreak, especially in areas that have been relatively neglected, such as border areas. In particular, In the post-COVID era, the border area between the two Koreas requires a new perception and conceptualization as a space for reconciliation, cooperation and coexistence. Through the status and outlook of post-COVID era, this paper analyzed the promoting directions of each situation, such as SWOT analysis, depending on the characteristics of changes such as domestic preference, changes into standards of new national competitiveness, changes into regional value chains, and the transition to digital economy in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Based on the previous analysis, this paper proposed realistic approaches such as the utilization of buffer zones, expansion of non-political cooperation to prepare resilience, and promotion of new growth engine industries. In addition, this paper suggested prepared strategies for analyzing the influence of positive and negative cases and responding to them by writing possible scenarios.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2015

In order to minimize regional disparities between the North and the South, it is very important to reduce shortages of food and energy in North Korea in the short and mid-term. In the long term, it is important to reduce not only regional disparities between two Koreas but also regional disparities in North Korea. It is important to consider national policies of the North, the South and other countries in Northeast Asia in the process of building regional development policies for North Korea because the future of regional development in North Korea depends on policies of stakeholder in Northeast Asia. This study suggest some policy directions for regional development in North Korea. At first, building new industries, such as hi-tech industries and MICE, is important for regional development potentials in North Korea. Also, we should take some special development strategies according to regional potentials in North Korea. For example, Nampo region should be specialized through hi-tech industries. Wonsan region should be specialized through MICE. Finally, this study suggests some policy issues to the South Korean government. Financial support from South Korean government about inter-Korean economic cooperation should have priorities on the regions where have potentials of hi-tech industries and MICE. Also, we should implement inter-Korean economic cooperation policies under consideration about spatial aspects.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.815-825
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• 2007

This study analyzed trends in geoscientific research funding provided by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) and examined strategies to promote geoscientific research. The strengths of geoscientific research in South Korea include the excellent academic quality of researchers, established research infrastructure, and inter-disciplinary research. Weaknesses include insufficient leadership in related societies and institutes, insufficient research productivity, and the exclusion of the field from nationally supported large-scale research projects. Opportunities for expanded research include environmental issues, the sustainable use of natural resources, the promotion of international research cooperation, and the initiation of national efforts to find solutions for regional problems. However, growth in the geosciences is threatened by prioritized investment in fields such as biotechnology, nanoscience, and information technology, a dismissive attitude toward the growth of basic sciences, and an increased demand for projects with visible economic and societal impacts. In terms of funding, group-based programs receive more support than individual-based programs. Between 1978 and 2006, KOSEF invested 1,744 billion won ($1.873 billion US) in a total of 46,748 basic research projects. Of this amount, 62.1 billion won ($66.7 million US) was allocated to 1,901 projects in the geosciences, which was roughly 2.6-10.6% of the money available in a given year. These funds were used to support research and development, the development and maintenance of necessary infrastructure, and the education and training of geoscientists.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.118-126
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• 2013

We investigated the major trends in health aid financing in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by identifying the primary donor organizations and examining several data sources to track overall health aid trends. We collected gross disbursements from bilateral donor countries and international organizations toward the DPRK according to specific health sectors by using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development creditor reporting system database and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs financial tracking service database. We analyzed sources of health aid to the DPRK from the Republic of Korea (ROK) using the official records from the ROK's Ministry of Unification. We identified the ROK, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) as the major donor entities not only according to their level of health aid expenditures but also their growing roles within the health sector of the DPRK. We found that health aid from the ROK is comprised of funding from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, private organizations, local governments, and South Korean branches of international organizations such as WHO and UNICEF. We also distinguished medical equipment aid from developmental aid to show that the majority of health aid from the ROK was developmental aid. This study highlights the valuable role of the ROK in the flow of health aid to the DPRK, especially in light of the DPRK's precarious international status. Although global health aid from many international organizations has decreased, organizations such as GFATM and UNFPA continue to maintain their focus on reproductive health and infectious diseases.

• 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).