• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.256-268
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• 2004

Korea remains one of the few countries in the world that has not participated in any formal regionalism except its first FTA with chile which was just recently concluded. The lack or regionalism in Northeast Asia reflects post-war national policies that favored international export markets as an engine of economic growth. Based on a survey of 50 firms in Korea, this paper examines the relationship between regionalism and multilateralism in terms of computer industry. The results show that the industry favors international rather than regional markets for its continued export growth. According to the results, accelerated trade liberalization measures through the mutilateralism of the WTO dilute the demand for and negative impacts from regionalism. Overall, the results suggest that the Korean computer industry supports a trading system with a strong multilateral commitment based on non-discrimination.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Trade rules in service and digital sectors mainly focus on reducing regulatory uncertainties by improving transparency and minimizing unnecessary requirements. Recognizing the importance of digital trade rules and trade in information and communication technology (ICT) sectors, governments worldwide have rapidly adopted and expanded rules on free flow of data, personal data protection, electronic authentication, and cybersecurity. On the other hand, advances in technology have led governments to face multiple threats related to cybersecurity, intellectual property (including that related to source code and algorithms), and unauthorized access to proprietary information of their suppliers. This study presents digital trade rules related to digital security emphasizing cybersecurity, source code, and ICT products that use cryptography in different trade agreements. Additionally, it introduces various approaches that major countries are taking to both address digital security issues and seek balance between security enhancement and trade liberalization.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.125-151
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• 1990

This paper reviews the economic liberalization experiences of the Southern Cone countries and draws some lessons from their experiences. The Southern Cone countries-Chile, Argentina and Uruguay-followed the different sequences in liberalization. Chile implemented the fiscal reform and the following comprehensive trade reform in the beginning of liberalization, but capital controls were maintained until 1979. Argentina and Uruguay placed more emphasis on the financial reform with the goods market reformed afterwards, but the fiscal sector was never reformed in Argentina. Since the serious inflation plagued the Southern Cone countries, they combined the economic liberalization scheme with the economic stabilization programmes which are based on the monetarist model. Although economic situations in the Southern Cone countries are quite different from those of Korea, we can learn many lessons from their experiences. First, the monetary and fiscal policies should consist of strict financial discipline to bring in the stable domestic inflation. Without the domestic stabilization, the financial liberalization could disturb the domestic economy as the capital inflows in particular generate a real exchange rate appreciation. Second, the monetary approach which is based on the full purchasing power parity and perfect capital mobility make stabilization as simple as a matter of the appropriate exchange rate policy and the proper rate of domestic credit creation. The unsuccessful experiences with monetarist stabilization in the Southern Cone countries suggest that the monetarist model cannot make real exchange rate and real interest rate stable with the trade and financial reform. Third, both the theory and practice have not yet provided a precise solution on the optimal sequencing and speed of the goods and financial market. Nonetheless, it seems desirable to keep the real exchange rate and the real interest rate stable by gradually opening up the current account and then the capital account.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.21-42
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• 2023

Purpose - This paper investigates the trade effect of the Korea-China Free Trade Agreement (KCFTA) which coincides with political conflicts between the two countries due to the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in Korea. The two events occurred in the same year and both are likely to affect trade between two countries but in opposite directions. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between the trade effects from the KCFTA event and those from the THAAD event to evaluate the true FTA effects. However, this would be difficult when using only annual data. Accordingly, ex post studies to examine the trade effects of KCFTA are lacking in trustworthiness while many ex ante studies that conjecture the positive trade effects neglect the THAAD deployment impact. This paper aims to fill that gap. Design/methodology - Given that the KCFTA and THAAD events occurred in the same year but in different months, we use the monthly data from 2000 to 2019 of Korea's exports to bracket this period. We employ the difference-in-difference (DID) method within a gravity equation specification that uses hi-dimensional fixed effects to address various endogeneity issues and seasonal effects. We identify the net impact of KCFTA ratification from these two near-simultaneous events to quantify the effects of trade liberalization between these two countries. Findings - After isolating the THAAD effects on trade, the analysis creates a positive and statistically significant coefficient estimate of the KCFTA impact. In contrast, failing to isolate the THAAD effect produced a negative and statistically significant coefficient estimate of the KCFTA impact. Our results indicate that KCFTA independently increased Korea's exports to China by 10.2%, but that this increase was fully mitigated by the THAAD event. Further, our results verify that unobserved heterogeneity and multilateral resistance are technically difficult to account for in those estimations as that rely solely upon annual data, as this type of data are inadequate to control for the potential for endogeneity. Originality/value - This paper is one of the first studies to carefully evaluate the net trade effects of the KCFTA on Korea's largest trading partner while isolating the impact of simultaneously occurred political events that may influence trade in opposing directions. Our findings indicate that the lack of prior evidence of positive trade effects of the KCFTA when using annual data may be attributed to a failure to identify the impact of each event separately. This analysis supports using the correct modeling specification to avoid misleading conclusions when evaluating any important international trade policy.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.67-90
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• 2016

This paper provides an assessment of the potential economic impacts of the Vietnam-Korea free trade agreement on Vietnam, by using general equilibrium modeling. The results show that Vietnam-Korea FTA will increase aggregate welfare for both countries in the long run. The most important gains accrue from better allocation of resources consequent to trade liberalization. All the sectoral differences and changes are consistent with the trade profiles of the two countries, and the long-run results are more pronounced than those of the short-run. In comparison with other ASEAN countries, the CGE analysis suggests that Vietnam's agriculture exports to Korea would especially rise in the long run. However, there will be strong competition in this sector among ASEAN members. Thus, an earlier conclusion of a comprehensive FTA with Korea is expected to be a good strategy for Vietnam, so as to avoid the direct competition with ASEAN members in the future.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.77-96
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• 2019

This paper examines the relation between the skill premium and international trade given differences in the relative supply of skills across countries while allowing the South (developing countries) to develop its appropriate technology. Typical assumptions put forward in the literature state that either technology is exogenously given, or technical change is allowed only in the North (developed countries). I present a model of international trade with endogenous growth by allowing the South to direct its technology. The results show that more R&D is directed towards skill-augmenting technology in the North than in the South, in sectors with the same skill-intensity. Technical change induced by lowering trade costs can increase the skill premium in both the North and the South. This result can explain the empirical observation that the skill premium has increased within many developing countries after they experienced trade liberalization. Finally, the model predicts larger gains from trade compared with the model where technical change is either not allowed, or allowed only in the North.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.215-233
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• 2001

Nowadays, the international economic environment has been improved by the World Trade Organization based on UR trade negotiation. In such state, the international commerce cooperation, which means trade liberalization through relaxation or abolition of customs and noncustoms harrier, is necessary a country's policy for overseas strategy. To the view point of international commerce order, there co-exist the globalism represntatived by GATT/WTO and the regionalism operated by European Community including 15 countries, or North American Zone with canada, Maxico. The former expands the trade liberalization through the most favoured nation treatment of WTO among whole world nations and the latter takes the differential trade policy to other countries. For extreme dependence on foreign natural resources and raw materials, Our country should strengthen it' comming prospect for the world economy. To put it more concrete, We must enforce in advance the legal basis of convention and norm which in adopted by WTO. Also we are desirable to cooperate with Asia and pacific economy area or APEC. Finally, under the direction of international commerce environment and world economy, we must take the commerce cooperation in global order considering the tendency of regionalism and bloc economy.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.465-484
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• 2009

Since the launch of the GATT system, one of the most controversial topics in trade liberalization has been the conflict between culture and trade. The sticking point has been the necessity of cultural exceptions in trade rules. Some countries do not wish to allow further exceptions to basic principles even in cultural industry, while many other countries make their efforts to obtain "cultural safety valve." The latter group asserts that it is indispensable for the protection of cultural identity, whereas the former seems to doubt the truth of the assertion. That is because cultural policy measure possibly constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between countries, or a disguised barriers to trade in cultural products. Unfortunately, cultural exceptions still remain unresolved in the WTO, the successor to the GATT. This paper is to review the history and rules of multilateral trading system on cultural industry, address the critical issues to deal with in the DDA negotiations, and lastly provide some perspectives on the appropriate shape of the cultural safety valve.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.84-104
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper explains why free trade agreements (FTAs) are more popular than customs unions (CUs) in respect of tariff coordination. Design/methodology - This paper employs an equilibrium theory of trade agreements with tariff coordination. I set up three-country partial equilibrium model with competing exporters. Domestic and exporting firms decide their optimal production under given tariffs and each country levies its tariff under the trade agreements. I found stability of implicit tariff coordination and preference of each country between an FTA and a CU. Findings - I demonstrate that two FTA members can keep their external tariffs higher than separately decided external tariffs by keeping the status-quo. This implicit tariff coordination can benefit each member through trade diversion. In a CU, each member country must have a common optimal external tariff and it must incur costs because each country may seek different external tariffs for their own national welfare. The benefit of implicit coordination in an FTA and the cost of explicit coordination in a CU account for the popularity of the FTA. Originality/value - This paper uses the idea of implicit tariff coordination in trade agreements. In a CU, tariff coordination is explicit and mandatory. All member countries must have a single common external tariff for each good. On the other hand, in an FTA, each country establishes its external tariff with the goal of maximizing its own welfare. However, each country can also coordinate "implicitly" by keeping the status-quo after establishing an FTA.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.171-207
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• 2020

Purpose - This paper investigates the potential effect of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on trade liberalization among member countries in order to answer key questions in our research on whether the RCEP will be a cornerstone or just collaboration. Furthermore, it aims to measure the likely magnitude of the economic impact it has on its members. Design/methodology - Toward achieving research objectives, we developed a regional CGE model based on the GTAP 9 database. Findings - The simulation results show Korea, Australia, India, and Japan ranked the top countries with an average growth in GDP of 0.38 %, 0.36%, 0.29%, and 0.23%, respectively. Moreover, China and New Zealand followed with a percentage of 0.12% each. The lower economic performing group is the ASEAN group due to a contraction in GDP by 0.13%. Accordingly, there was a positive impact of the RCEP agreement on all member states, as empirically demonstrated. Furthermore, Korea is one of the countries that will benefit most from joining this agreement. Finally, this agreement is important; it has many economic benefits to member states, but it is not a cornerstone. Originality/value - The examination of the quantitative effects of tariff removal among the RCEP's countries is its value. We will address all member countries of the convention simultaneously using a regional CGE model GAMS language, where we employed a Mathematical Programming System for General Equilibrium (MPSGE) to establish a Regional CGE model. This study is directed to policymakers looking at evaluating RCEP agreement.