A Study on the Export Competitiveness of Korea IT Industry to China

한국 IT산업의 대중국 수출경쟁력 분석에 관한 연구

As it is expected that change in trade environment has a significant impact on Korean economic growth as well as foreign trade of Korean economy we need an appropriate political response to it. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the Export Competitiveness of IT Industry to China and our trade policy. Korean balance of trade to China in 2007 records surplus of 18.9 billion dollars. However, many experts estimate unfavorable balance of trade will appear from 2010. In consideration of this condition, this study suggests a desirable trade policy for long-term maintenance of current Export Competitiveness between Korea and China. Using TSI and RCA, it analyses a Export Competitiveness of IT Industry to China from 2003 to 2007. To sum up the results, the TSI has been declining since 2005. RCA of semi-conductors has been declining since 2005 while that of communication equipment and computers has been increasing. During the analysis period, the mean RCA of semi-conductors is 55.01, which indicates that its export advantage is somewhat weak, and the mean RCA of communication equipment and computers are 227.22 and 175.83 respectively, which indicates that their export advantage is very strong. Production and export of Korea IT industry have greatly increased in quantity, but its technological quality and diversity have not been satisfactory. In particular, the base of IT industry is growing weaker due to serious dependence of core spare parts on advanced countries and transfer of simple assembly plants to China. To maintain export competitiveness of IT industry, we should pay more attention to technological improvement through more investment to the original technology for local production of core spare parts.