• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.57
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• pp.283-303
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• 2013

When a trade conflict arises related to an officially supported export credit programme, The World Trade Organization(WTO), decides on whether the programme is a forbidden subsidy stipulated in the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures(the ASCM Agreement). Korea was taken to the WTO panel two times for the export credit programme. One is the semiconductor case in 2002 and the other was the shipbuilding disputes in 2004. And, In 2012, the U.S. Commerce Department ruled K-SURE's export insurance for Korean refrigerator manufacturers as a forbidden subsidy even if the case was not taken to the WTO. This paper examines the significance of export credit programmes on the WTO ASCM Agreement and discusses how to operate these programmes so they would not infringe upon the Agreement by analyzing the actual cases of WTO subsidy conflicts that involved Korean enterprises in relation to export credit programmes for the purpose of determining the related issues and impacts. From this research the results were as follows: First, on whether export credit is a prohibited subsidy, the deciding factor was whether a benefit has been conferred to the beneficiary. On the presence of a benefit, the WTO panel used market benchmarks as the main criteria. Thus, official export credit agencies(ECAs) should be careful not to provide export credit support which had been granted to the beneficiary at better than market terms. Second, in the case of export credit, the special status of ECA as a public body receiving government support itself does not constitute a subsidy. However, caution must be taken not to provide export credit that may lead to WTO ASCM subsidy conflicts involving a certain exporter or industry by setting up clear and valid regulations and fair work processes in the operation of export credit programmes. Third, item (j) of Annex I cannot be interpreted reversely as this item is for interpreting the presence of a prohibited subsidy, not the presence of a benefit. Thus, an export credit program that confers a financial contribution, a benefit and specificity, could qualify as a prohibited subsidy. Fourth, ECAs not only have to maintain long-term account balance but also introduce additional measures to meet this long-term balance such as a clear and systematic premium system. Finally, export credit programmes that are not defined in item (j) of Annex I of the ASCM Agreement would not deemed as an prohibited export subsidy as long as the continued support of the programmes are not being forced.

• 한국무역상무학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.45-72
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• 2006

The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for ethical project finance. These principles commit banks and other signatories to not finance projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation and launched in 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks have adopted the Principles, and with these banks among them accounting for more than three quarters of all project loan market volume the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental effects of projects to be financed. While regarding the Principles an important initiative, NGOs have criticised the Principles for not producing real changes in financing activities and for allowing projects to go through that should have been screened out by the Principles, such as the Sakhalin-II oil and gas project in Russia. In early 2006, a process of revision of the principles was begun. The Equator Principles state that endorsing banks will only provide loans directly to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). - For all medium or high risk projects (Category A and B projects), sponsors complete an Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key environmental and social issues. - The Environmental Assessment report addresses baseline environmental and social conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, applicable international treaties and agreements, sustainable development and use of renewable natural resources, protection of human health, cultural properties, and biodiversity, including endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, use of dangerous substances, major hazards, occupational health and safety, fire prevention and life safety, socio-economic impacts, land acquisition and land use, involuntary resettlement, impacts on indigenous peoples and communities, cumulative impacts of existing projects, the proposed project, and anticipated future projects, participation of affected parties in the design, review and implementation of the project, consideration of feasible environmentally and socially preferable alternatives, efficient production, delivery and use of energy, pollution prevention and waste minimization, pollution controls (liquid effluents and air emissions) and solid and chemical waste management. - Based on the Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with their clients on how they mitigate, monitor and manage those risks through an 'Environmental Management Plan'. Compliance with the plan is required in the covenant. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective action, which if unsuccessful, could ultimately result in the bank canceling the loan and demanding immediate repayment. - For risky projects, the borrower consults with stakeholders (NGO's and project affected groups) and provides them with information on the risks of the project. - If necessary, an expert is consulted. The Principles only apply to projects over 50 million US dollars, which, according to the Equator Principles website, represent 97% of the total market. In early 2006, the financial institutions behind the Principles launched stakeholder consultations and negotiations aimed at revising the principles. The draft revised principles were met with criticism from NGO stakeholders, who in a joint position paper argued that the draft fails by ignoring the most serious critiques of the principles: a lack of consistent and rigorous implementation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.109-118
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• 1993

Development process of agricultural technology has been studied with a case study of Korean agriculture. Technological is considered as a transformer of inputs into outputs and hence technological appropriateness, an important aspect of agricultural development strategies, is considered as a dynamic concepts. Considering the concept of agricultural system as a delivery system for providing essential materials and services to producers and consumers, it has been divided into two major groups of dimensions vis. external challenge dimensions and internal response dimensions. Market, investment and agro-ecosystem constitute the external challenge dimensions : whereas trade , technology as well as production and resources allocation constitute internal response dimensions. The system manager is responsible for maintaining equilibrium in the mentioned six sub-systems. Two kinds of alternatives paths of technological development viz. land saving technology and labour saving technolog have been studied. Technology is considered as a combination of four basic components viz. facilities, abilities, facts and frameworks. Adoption of innovation in agriculture depends on profitability, awareness, risk aversion, financial capacity, institutional infrastructure, availability of physical inputs and adaptability to the local conditions. For a cast study of Korea, changes in the agricultural system through external challenge dimensions are investigated. The impacts of industrialization on agro-ecosystem reported are shift of labour from the agricultural sector to non-agricultural sectors and continuously increasing demand of farm the agricultural sector to non-agricultural sectors accompanied by increase in land prices. The impacts on the commodity market discussed are shift in demand from rice, barley and other cereals to meat , dairy products and vegetables : and increasing in supply capacity of agricultural inputs. The process of agricultural development from 1962 to 19 1 9 (i.e. from start of the first to the end of the sixth five year plan) are also discussed in details with several policy measures taken. The trend of agricultural income and productivity are also analyzed. The main cause of increase in the agricultural income is considered as increase in labour productivity. The study revealed that during the span of 1965-88, holding size has not changed significantly, but both the land and labour productivity increased and so did the agricultural income. R&D activities in Korea have changed over time in three stages vix. import of improved technology, localization by adaptive research and technological mastery. For the new technology to be made affordable to farmers, policy measures like fertilizer and food grain exchange system, dual price system in rice and barely and loan for machinery were strengthened.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2015

Purpose - This study attempts to examine the impacts of consumers' perceived service convenience of retailers on various service performance metrics such as service quality and customer satisfaction. It also tries to investigate differences in the importance of service convenience dimensions on service performance between a department store and a general super market. Research design, data, and methodology - The four hypotheses in this study were proposed and tested. Two hypotheses were on the causal relationships between service convenience dimensions and service performances (service quality and customer satisfaction). The other two hypotheses were on comparisons for the effects of convenience dimensions on service quality and customer satisfaction between department stores and general super markets. To test the hypotheses, three department store chains (Hyundai, Lotte, and Shinsegae department Store) and three general super markets (E-mart, Homeplus, and Lotte mart) were involved. Overall, 510 usable responses were used. The data were analyzed using regression analysis. Results - The results largely support the hypothesized relationships of the proposed model. The results show that access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, and post-benefit convenience have positive influences on service quality, whereas decision convenience, access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, and post-benefit convenience have positive effects on customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the results show that there are differences between department stores and general super markets in the effects of benefit convenience and post-benefit convenience on service quality as well as the effects of transaction convenience and post-benefit convenience on customer satisfaction. Conclusions - The concept of service convenience is important in retail environments but little is known about this topic in retail literature. Specially, while service convenience dimensions have different impacts on service performance in distinct retail environments, there has been little investigation or comparison between retail types as regards service convenience. This study is the first to test the differences between distinct retail types (department stores and general super markets) on the service convenience-service performance links. Managerially, the findings of this study suggest that the service convenience management of retailers is an important part of successful service performance management. Because it is most important that both department stores and general super markets enhance benefit convenience to improve service performance, managers of both store types need to invest their resources to reduce consumers' perceived time and effort expenditures to experience the retailer's core benefits. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that retail stores should spend human and financial resources to enhance customer perceptions of service convenience, while also considering what constitutes the service outcome in the consumer's mind. Furthermore, the findings suggest that managers need to use different service convenience management tactics in department stores and general super markets. Specifically, managers in general super markets should pay more attention to benefit convenience and transaction convenience to achieve better service performance whereas managers in department stores should concentrate on post-benefit convenience to create customers' positive evaluation.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2015

Purpose - There is a recent social trend that is focused on the revitalization of business-founding. Business-founding now has an important impact on the progress of the national economy because of youth unemployment and an increase in baby-boom generation retirees. However, the support and infrastructure required for business-founding of the disabled are very insufficient. Since most supporting policies are on youth or middle-aged business-founding, business-founding by the disabled and the socially weak is losing competitiveness. Accordingly, this study diagnosed the issues by analyzing the current status of business-founding by the disabled and suggested a fostering direction for the advance of business-founding by the disabled. An idea for the founding of various business items is required for the competitiveness of business-founding by the disabled and the establishment of a growth-model based on marketing is required so that business-founding by the disabled would advance toward commercialization with growth potential. Research design, data, and methodology - Regarding the study method, the existing study literature on the status and issues in business-founding was mainly explored. In addition, the existing literature on the status and issues in business-founding by the disabled was also studied. The support on business-founding by the disabled by policy enforced by the 'Welfare Service Agency for the Disabled'and the support of related agencies including financial support on the commercialization of business-founding by the disabled were also examined. Results - Existing studies on business-founding by the disabled are very insufficient. It is very difficult to study a viable business-founding by the disabled fostering policy without thorough learning on the difficulties of business-founding by the disabled. Therefore, this study suggested a direction for the resolution of various issues such as market, funds, item, operational matters, and service by analyzing the difficulties in business-founding by the disabled until now. Particularly, this study suggested that building a commercialization model from the aspect of marketing strategy and the effort to change the growth aspect of the disabled into competitiveness are essential. Conclusions - This study examined the aspect of developing an item-development process for the growth and founding of disabled-owned businesses and the requirement of a government support system by multiple policies. Since the number of studies on business-founding by the disabled is very small, it is expected that this study would become an important study in the field of business-founding by the disabled. The revitalization of business-founding by the disabled substantially contributes to the progress of the state of the economy and continuous interest is required from the viewpoint of equal advance in the society. Success models in business-founding by the disabled should be created continuously and active publicizing of them to the disabled business-founders by analyzing the success cases would also be required. In addition, it is believed that a market entry strategy by way of a win-win strategy and cooperative relation with big companies should be also developed in the future.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2017

This study investigated one of the contemporary financial issues that is still being debated among governmental policy makers, corporate managers, and investors in the domestic capital market. We attempted to identify the most optimal level of cash holdings for firms during the most updated fiscal years (from 2011 to 2015). The study utilized empirical methodologies, such as ANCOVA and RANCOVA, with respect to the 'inter-' and 'intra-industry' analyses for KOSPI-listed firms. Regarding the first hypothesis testing for inter-industry influence, we revealed with statistical significance that there were differences; however, there were only 3 pronounced industries among the 25 industries sampled in this study. Regarding the second hypothesis, only a few (i.e. two) industries showed no statistically significant intra-industry influence. Based on our results, most KOSPI-listed firms still seem to be searching for their optimal levels of cash reserves. Hence, we can anticipate that the value maximization as a corporate goal can be achieved after adjusting the current levels of their cash holdings according to the optimal points.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.670-681
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• 2016

Recently, based on Internet and mobile environments, the Fintech industry that fuses finance and IT together has been rapidly growing and Fintech services armed with simplicity and convenience have been leading the conversion of all financial services into online and mobile services. However, despite the rapid growth of the Fintech industry, few studies have classified Fintech technologies into detailed technologies, analyzed the technology development trends of major market countries, and supported technology planning. In this respect, using Fintech technological data in the form of unstructured data, the present study extracts and defines detailed Fintech technologies through the topic modeling technique. Thereafter, hot and cold topics of the derived detailed Fintech technologies are identified to determine the trend of Fintech technologies. In addition, the trends of technology development in the USA, South Korea, and China, which are major market countries for major Fintech industrial technologies, are analyzed. Finally, through the analyses of networks between detailed Fintech technologies, linkages between the technologies are examined. The trends of Fintech industrial technologies identified in the present study are expected to be effectively utilized for the establishment of policies in the area of the Fintech industry and Fintech related enterprises' establishment of technology strategies.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.115-141
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• 2003

The aim of this paper is to describe a long-term trend toward earlier retirement and its reversal since 1985 in the United States, together with changes in socioeconomic conditions and social-policy programs which have contributed to this new development. The American people's recent propensity to retire at relatively younger ages was mainly a result of secular increase in individual wealth that had made it possible for them to enjoy higher standard of living without their participation in labor market activities at older ages. In addition to the introduction of compulsory retirement system, both social security retirement pension program and corporate pension system have also contributed significantly to the declining retirement age and its reversal around the mid-1980s. This paper pays full attention to the set of social policy programs which are currently being used to sustain the recent reversal in ages at retirement. The basic question to be raised here, however, is about whether or not the U. S. government will ave to continue to implement the social policies and programs used to discourage the elderly from retiring at relatively younger ages in the future. In this paper, it is argued that labor productivity growth and improvement in work attitude prior to retirement will help the elderly find little difficulties in having higher standard of living, despite their further lengthening of life expectancy at birth and post-retirement survival chances, the latter being often called the "third life". Most American people hope that the social-policy programs that have promoted early retirement will remain unchanged in the first part of the 21st century while they will put significant financial burden on their future descendants who have to work in the paid labor market. Taking this observation in consideration, this paper concludes that the U. S. government has to focus more on developing the programs that improve work propensity and labor productivity among the currently working-age population rather than continuing to implement the programs that sustain the recent reversal in retirement ages.ment ages.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.165-184
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• 2005

Japan has remained a welfare laggard among advanced industrial democracies. Therefore, the introduction of the public long-term care insurance(koteki kaigo hoken in Japanese) in April of 2000 looks very unique in terms of the Japanese social security tradition, because it can be interpreted as the expansion of social security system and the weakening of the market power over the livelihood of the ordinary people. In the era of globalization, in which even the highly developed welfare states are forced to shrink their social security systems, Japan, a welfare laggard, looks like being headed to the opposite direction. This article aims to define the character of the public long-term care insurance, and thereby, to evaluate the recent social policy of the Japanese government. This study follows the social democratic model in the study of the welfare state development, which assumes that, under the condition of a weak social democratic party and a fragmented labor movement, the introduction of the long-term care insurance is not equal to the improvement of the Japanese social security system. The main argument of this article is that the long-term care insurance, notwithstanding its appearance as an expansion of public sphere, is part of market-oriented neo-liberal social reforms, which have remained the main feature of the Japanese social policies since the mid-1970's. For this, this study will do a longitudinal analysis on the social consequences of the long-term care insurance incurred to the Japanese social security system for the long-term care, focusing on the income redistribution, the marketization of long-term care sector and the changes in the financial burden of the government, social insurers and general citizens.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.193-224
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• 2018

Purpose Targeting Korean companies listed on Korean securities markets (i.e., KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets), this study aims to shed lights the effects of personal information security breaches on stock prices of information security companies. Interestingly, this study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to examine the information transfer effect on personal information security breaches of companies. Design / Methodology /Approach To examine the information transfer effect of personal information security breaches, our study employs the event study commonly used in financial studies. To this end, we investigate a variety of events of personal information security breaches of companies listed on the KOPSI stock market and the KOSDAQ market. We collect the total samples of one hundred and twelve with forty seven of events of personal information security breaches by thirty companies and sixty five of information security companies. Findings The principal findings from the empirical study are as follows. First, for companies of personal information security breaches, our event study presents the significantly negative AAR (averaged abnormal return) value on the event day at the 5 % level and the highly significant negative CAAR(cumulative averaged abnormal return) value on the event day and the day after the event day at the 1 % level. The results suggest that personal information breaches significantly contribute to an decrease in value of the information breached companies. The cross sectional regressions in this study estimate the significantly negative coefficient for the ME/BE variable, the proxy for a growth opportunity at the 5 % level. This suggests a reverse relation between the growth opportunity of companies and their value. As for the various samples of the information security companies categorized by physical security, network and system security, security application software, code authentication, system integration, we find the significantly positive AAR on the day after the event day at the 5% level, only for the network and system security-companies. This addresses that the information transfer effect followed by personal information breaches is uniquely observable for companies categorized into network and system companies. The regressions for the network and system companies estimate the significantly positive coefficient for the NS dummy variable (i.e., the dummy of the network and system security companies) at the standard level. This allows us to identify appropriate times needed to make the information transfer effect realized from personal information breached companies to information security companies.