• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.372-388
• /
• 2013

A series of coffee middlemen has come to be regarded as an exploitative force in the lives of small and poor coffee farmers, which is called 'coyote', controlling production, paying unfair prices for labor and goods, and participating in fraudulent practices to maximize their own profits. However, the reality of gains captured by coffee middlemen in the value chain might be exaggerated and even unfair. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to reconsider the implication of coffee middlemen for the development of coffee value chain in Vietnam. It also attempts to identify their characteristics by investigating relations among coffee farmers, middlemen and processing/exporting firms. In terms of middlemen's margin in the coffee sub-sector, their margin is quite small when compared to other actors higher in the value chain. Rather, coffee middlemen in Vietnam have played a critical role as an intermediary of change in local economies. More specifically, coffee middlemen in Dak Lak has played a significant role as a market facilitator by stimulating the access of farmers to markets by providing buyers for farmers thanks to changes in institutional environment. Also, they have played a critical role as an agent of sustainable coffee production by encouraging sustainable coffee production in accordance with the demand of processing and exporting firms.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.438-457
• /
• 2019

The main purpose of this paper is to identify the entry types and locational determinants of North Korean workers in cross-border regions between North Korea and China. More specifically, the paper has attempted to divide the entry type of them in the regions into two; 1) entry via transactions between Chinese traders with North Korea and North Korea trade companies, and 2) entry via transactions between Korean-Chinese middlemen and North Korean trade companies. Also, it has analyzed main factors of their locational determinants in the spatial contexts of the regions. There have been changes in two perspectives in terms of the entry paths and types of them in accordance with the transformation of characteristics of United Nations sanction against North Korea from 'call-upon' to 'decide' after UN Security Council Resolution 2094 in 2013. Firstly, main agents who have dealing with North Korean trade companies which have right to dispatch North Korean workers have been changed from Chinese traders into Korean-Chinese brokers who are specialized in the introduction of North Korean workers with one-stop service from visa administrative to labor managements. Secondly, there has been a transfer of North Korean workers in the regions from formal to informal workers who has been admitted into China with a short stay or a tourist visa, and then remained illegally to be employed in China. Therefore, as demands on service which is able to guarantee the security of North Korean informal workers and their managements have increased, Korean-Chinese brokers have been stimulated in the regions after the operation of real international sanctions against overseas North Korean workers. In addition, the main factors of their locational determinants in cross-border regions between North Korea and China are could be analyzed in three perspectives; 1) an increase in real wages in accordance with the reform of the Chinese social insurance system after 2011, 2) the structural vulnerability of labor markets in the regions, 3) the utilization of stable and manageable workers.

• The Southeast Asian review
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.167-206
• /
• 2014

메콩 경제권(GMS)의 다양한 개발 현장 속에서 고무 나무로부터 채취하는 라텍스는 캄보디아, 라오스를 포함한 인도 차이나 반도 국가들 사이에서 주요 농업 활동으로 주목 받고 있다. 그러나 캄보디아와 라오스의 대형 플랜테이션은 여러 부정적인 결과들을 낳고 있다. 토지 점유, 계약 농업을 통한 착취 등으로 인해 역설적으로 농촌의 빈곤은 증가하고 있고 해외 투자자에 대한 재정적, 기술적 의존이 심화되고 환경 파괴가 일어나고 있다. 이러한 점들로 인해 소규모 자작농들에 주목할 필요가 있다. 고무 자작농은 고용을 창출하며 토지 점유를 방지한다. 본 연구는 캄보디아와 라오스의 소규모 고무 자작농들의 생계를 비교하며 고무 호황으로 어떠한 이득을 얻고 어떠한 형태로 생계를 개선할 수 있는지를 연구한다. 본 연구는 캄보디아의 Tboung Khmum 구역과 Somsanouk 마을의 사례 연구를 바탕으로 하였다. 실증적인 분석은 세 가지의 이론적 틀을 바탕으로 하였다. 미시-생계 연구, 글로벌 가치사슬 그리고 GMS에 대한 연구들이다. 실증 분석의 초점은 생계의 변화상과 결과(고용 창출과 빈곤 탈출)이다. 전체적으로 소규모 고무 자작농은 전망이 밝았으나 앞서 언급 된 문제점들로 인해 농촌 문제를 모두 해결할 수 있는 수단은 아니다. 중요한 유사성은 소규모 고무 자작농의 사회경제적 공헌이다. 연구 지역 두 곳에서 자작농들은 고무 농사는 생계를 개선하는 데에 좋은 수단이라고 답하였다. 그럼에도 불구하고 낮은 교육 수준은 그들의 생계 전략을 불안정하게 하고 있다. 양쪽 지역에서 응답자들은 다른 주민을 따라 고무 농사를 시작했다고 대답했으며 경제, 환경적인 위험에 대해 충분히 인지하고 있지 못하였다. 이와 관련한 다른 유사점으로 소규모 자작농들을 지원할 수 있는 정부의 개입이 없었다는 것이다. 자금 조달은 고무 농사의 심각한 애로 사항 중 하나였다. 명확한 차이점으로 Tboung Khmum의 자작농들은 중개 상인에게 계약 관계를 맺지 않고 라텍스를 판매했으며 Somsanouk의 경우에는 고무 가격이 국제 시장의 영향을 받음에도 가장 높은 가격을 제시하는 상인에게 농민 전체가 같이 판매를 하였다. 이러한 현상은 GMS 내에서 이루어지고 있는 근대적인 경제 현상 에 농촌 공동체들이 다양하게 연결 되고 있음을 재확인한다. 게다가 Somsanouk 마을에서는 사이짓기를 하는 경우가 없었다. 이는 투자자들이 생산량을 극대화하기 위해 자작농들에게 사이짓기를 장려하지 않았기 때문이다. Tboung Khmum 마을의 경우 고무와 더불어 고무 이전의 주요 작물이던 카사바를 같이 재배했다. 요약하면, 자작농에 의한 소규모 고무농업은 (비록 농촌의 모든 어려움을 해결할 수는 없지만) 토지점유 등 부정적 현상이 나타나는 대규모 플렌테이션에 비해 유의미한 일자리를 창출하는 등 미래를 위한 보다 나은 대안이 될 수 있다. 농촌 생활의 질을 개선하기 위해서는 7년 간의 고무 생육기간 동안 농가가 감수해야 하는 사회-경제적 불안정성을 해결하고 대안적 소득원을 마련할 필요가 있다

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.334-365
• /
• 2010

Mother-of-Pearl craftwork sketch involves the whole process of making a piece of work. Therefore, it includes types, forms, sizes, and patterns of the work. Some information about when and by whom those works were manufactured and who ordered them are still found in some sketches. This paper seeks to find out popular types and patterns of the works in each period and its demand and the way of supply by examining the collection of approximately 1700 Mother-of-Pearl craftwork sketches from the period of Japanese colonization up to the present time, which are owned by Mr. Song Bang-wung, Important Intangible Cultural Heritage no.10. Typical patterns of sketches are the hua-jo(花鳥 : Flowers and Birds), the Sakunja(四君子 : Four Gracious Plants), cultural treasures, figures in folk tales, 'Su-bok(壽福)' characters, and landscape. The pattern sketches have changed according to the circumstances of Korean society. During the period of Japanese colonization from the 1920s to the 1940s the manufacture and the supply and demand of Mother-of-Pearl craftworks were controled by the Japanese government. As a result, many of the patterns were adjusted to the Japanese taste. Most of its customers were also Japanese. During the 1950s after Independence the American Military Forces appeared as new customers due to the Korean War. Thus, the traditional Korean patterns to decorate accessories adored by American soldiers gained popularity. Foreign Mother-of-Perls were imported from the late 1960s to the 1970s. They were bigger and more colorful than those of Korean and it enabled the sketches bigger and the patterns more various. The most popular pattern in this period was the pattern of cultural treasures, such as an image of Buddha, metalcraft works, porcelains and pagodas. In terms of a technique, new techniques, such as engraving and rusting were introduced. There was a great demand for Mother-of-Pearl craftworks in the 1970s as people were highly interested in them. They were entirely made to order and there was a large demand from diverse organizations, furniture dealers and individuals. And the Mother-of-Pearl craftwork was in full flourish in the 1970s due to the country's economic development and the growth of national income. Mass production of the works was possible and the professional designers who drew patterns actively worked in this period. The favor of Mother-of-Pearl craftworks declined in the 1980s since the built-in furniture and the Western style of furniture became prevalent due to the change of housing into apartments. But it seemed that the manufacture of Mother-of-Pearl craftworks revived for once the technique of Kunum-jil(끊음질 : cutting and attaching) became popular in Tong-young(統營). After the 1990s, however, the making of Mother-of-Pearl craftworks gradually declined as the need of them decreased. Now it barely maintains its existence by a few artisans.