Structures and Competitiveness of Softwood Products in Korean Import Market

우리나라 수입(輸入) 침엽수재(針葉樹材) 시장구조(市場構造) 및 수종별(樹種別) 경쟁력(競爭力)

Protection of tropical forest affects on significant reduce of tropical hardwood supply, and softwood resources will be increasingly important for the timber security in Korea. U.S. softwood log was most favorite species for Korean softwood log importers in overall import conditions except price stablization and consistency of export policy. Reduced export volume from Pacific Northwest to Korean market has been immediately replenished by rediata pine from New Zealand and Chilean plantation. Siberian timber will hardly play major roles in Korean timber market unless budding structure. softwood plywood and softwood furniture uses are enhanced. Recent rapid rise of labor cost and reducing tariff rrate in Korea provided better opportunities for import lumber in building materials market. Dry dimension lumber was relatively profitable when processed from import U.S. soft-wood log while green lumber was favorable products processed from radiata pine log in Korean lumber market. This means U.S. softwood lumber would have better opportunity to market for '2${\times}$'4 studs when wood frame housing is introduced. On the other hand while radiata pine is competitive on temporary construction lumber such as supporter and concrete forming frame in Korea. Shortage of raw material for the new capacity of board plants in Korea will be it bottle neck. Major log export countries to Korea as U.S. New Zealand and Chile showed high trade intensity indices of composite hoard produces for Korean market. As Korea efforts to diversify import sources, and tariffs are reduced to 8% as scheduled by 1994. countries of scoring higher comparative advantages as Portugal. Brazil, Austria as well as New Zealand will have better opportunity to penetrate into promised Korean composites hoard market.