• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.664-679
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• 2008

This paper attempts to evaluate the local economy and the local economic development policy in Goryeong County and to propose some policy alternatives for local economic development. Goryeong County has a locational advantage, which is not just geographically proximate to Daegu, a large metropolis, but also connected directly to the national highway networks. This region can also be regarded as a rural area, in a sense that the primary industry still plays a more important role for the local economy than the secondary industry and the tertiary industry. However, it is problematic that the local economic development strategies of Goryeong are universal rather than strategic and systematic. In order to design an effective regional economic development policy, the policy makers are necessary to deliberately consider regional specificity and geo-political and geo-economic situations around the region. In addition, it is important to say that policy makers, particularly in rural regions, need to break from the fantasy of high-tech industries. In this context, I propose some region-specific and context-specific policy ideas, including the promotion of the agro-food cluster and the build-up of the em-industrial complexes specialized in mechatronics and transportation equipment manufacturing.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 1995

As an exit to solve the economic depression of the development countries in the early twentieth century, the 'old international division of labor' developed. The economic crisis(i.e., under-consumption crisis) was due to the absence of the mode of regulation compatible with the extensive regime of accumulation(i.e., "Fordist" regime). The crisis was solved by the state intervention through the creation on institutions in order to increase the level of consumption. Until the late 1960s when "high Fordism" reached(i.e., a harmonious relation between the monopoly mode of regulation and the intensive accumulation of capital), the developed core countries enjoyed a remarkable economic growth. The external market was not a necessity for the economic growth because there were increases in labor productivity and proportional increases in real wages and thus increases in consumption level. In the 1970s, however, the core faced with economic crisis again. Due to the breakdown of the postwar "Fordist" regime of capital accumulation and the post 1973 world depression, the core needed the Third World as a solution for their internal and international economic crisis. Thus the 'new international division of labor'(NIDL) arose. The "Fordist" method of production(i.e., the divisions of production process) led to the territorial division of labor and to the detailed division of labor. The aim of the NIDL is to exploit reserve armies of labor on a world scale and thus to reduce production costs. According to the NIDL model, the Third World countries have been developing by the core countries' investment on mainly labor-intensive industries and thus have been playing an important role in the global economy. And the NIDL theorists argue that multinational corporations have increasingly invested in the Third World nations and contributed to the economic growth in those regions. Tables presented in the paper show that the global trend since the 1970s does not follow the argument exactly as the NIDL theorists predicted. On the contrary, the core countries focus on developing technology, adopting the automation of production process, and trading within the core countries rather than on investing in the periopheral countries. The continuing investment of multinational corporations into the periphery is not because of cheap labor force but because of the market potentials in the regions. Majority of corporations of the core tries to reduce production costs by investing in technological development more intensively and also by changing regional strategies (i.E., investment from metropolitan areas to medium - or small - size cities, focusing on agglomeration economy, boosting regional diversification, etc.) within their own countries. The main purpose of the paper is to review and to criticize the NIDL theory based on some empirical data.IDL theory based on some empirical data.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.478-501
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to understand spatial economic inequalities under the framework of the dynamics of economic spaces in relation to the four global megatrends: globalization, knowledge-based economy, information society, and the service world. The international inequalities in East Asia, as well as inter-regional inequalities within Japan, Korea, and Thailand were analyzed. The variables related to the four megatrends, as a whole, have clearly explained the variations in international inequalities in East Asia, as well as the inter-regional inequalities within a nation. The individual impacts of the variables on spatial inequalities are, however, significantly different depending on the spatial scale of analysis and national characteristics. Overall, there has been a convergence trend of international per capita GNI (Gross National Income) in East Asian nations, while both divergent and convergent trends are evident at the regional scale within a nation. Two global oil crises in the 1970s and the East Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s resulted in the discontinuity of the general convergence trend, and have led to the increase of international and inter-regional inequalities in economic activities. This suggests that although the effect of the global crisis differs in each country, in general, the economies of peripheral countries and regions are more vulnerable during a global economic crisis.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.955-985
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• 2005

This paper describes the evolutionary trajectory of the missions of public research institutes(PRIs) in Korea since 1960s and analyses the newly highlighted role of PRIs as the facilitators of regional innovation system, with questionnaire surveys and the case study of Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology(GIST). PRIs have played important roles in Korean rapid economic development by introducing and improving foreign high-technologies in 1970s and 1980s and by creating new advanced high-technologies in 1990s. In recent years, the functions as regional technology innovators have been considered important as regional innovation system has come to the center of discussion. According to the result of this study, Korean PRIs have recognized their roles relevant to regional innovation, such as developing the technologies of regional strategic industries and awakening regional innovative actors to a sense of research. Regardless of the functions as industrial technology suppliers, however, the bilateral networks between PRIs and regional industries are not revealed strong, whereas those with universities and other research institutes are relatively strong. In addition, the research cooperation of PRIs with regional innovative actors are different by where they are located. The case of GIST shows how a regional PRI operates, commercializes its academic achievement and encourages the regional transfer of the achievement systematically. Finally, this study draws some policy implications on developing regional PRIs.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.195-218
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• 2011

Discussion of Economic Community in East Asia are active. This trend began in the late 20th from the EU and North America's regional economic integration is in response to the movement. East Asia in the late 1990s to the actual for the FTA, it was not very active. As East Asian Economic Community became one of agendas for ASEAN+3 Leaders' meeting since 2004. Japan has been positioned itself as a leading country in East Asia. However, the emergence of China in the East Asian economic community have been changes. Moreover, East Asian countries began concerns over regional economic community with frequent conclusions of FTAs and China is leading the discussion on strengthening economic cooperation in the region. Some of it in terms of economic community in East Asia will not be smooth. First, East Asian countries do not have a common goal. Second, East Asian countries have a lot of diversity. Third, China and Japan are expected to compete in the championship. Therefore, East Asian economic community should be approached in the long-term perspective.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.782-798
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• 2016

This paper discusses the European Union's smart specialization strategy and US manufacturing renaissance policy and then proposes new directions for regional industrial policy in Korea. The smart specialization strategy is summarized as the entrepreneurial self-discovery and strategic coordination; the manufacturing renaissance policy as the construction of industrial commons based on ecosystem; and Korea's regional industrial policy as the build-up of regional innovation system based upon industrial clusters. The policy cases of the EU and the United States demonstrate the fact that regional industrial policy should be geographically embedded. Also, they show the relevance of policy mix by linking industrial policy with innovation policy for cross-fertilization between different industry and technology. In addition, the state plays a role as a coordinator and mediator by embedding the democratic discipline into industrial ecosystems. Considering these points, regional industrial policy should be transformed into a platform system that can facilitate linkage between industry and technology.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.187-207
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• 2002

This study investigates the wage determination process of regional labor markets in order to understand the regional dimension of labor market processes in Korean metropolitan cities. Since the financial crisis in late 1997, the interplay between labor market restructuring such as unemployment and skill polarization and income disparity has been shaped by the labor market process in the metropolitan cities. This is also closely related to the fact that both industrial restructuring and expanding information technologies in the metropolitan region have reshaped the labor demand structure and finally resulted in structural unemployment due to skill mismatch and spatial mismatch and wage inequality across different occupations. In addition, since wage determination process clearly has a regional dimension, wage determination and its influence on income profile in a certain regional labor market need to be understood by investigating its labor market characteristics including labor supply and demand structure, industrial changes, changing unemployment, etc. This is why labor market policy as a regional policy needs to be redefined and it can be much enhanced by geographical investigation on regional labor market.

• Korean Business Review
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• v.16
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• pp.77-97
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• 2003

The Korean government issues the policy that regional government mat change the regional tax rates for economic growth. On the ground that change in regional tax rate incurs the disturbance in regional economy and entails tax competition, regional government does not accept the proposal. The CGE simulation result shows that tax competition reveals the trade-off relation between efficiency, balanced national development, and equity. Thereby, the stance of regional government can be justified by the results. Therefore central government has to grope for some reconcile means that efficiency and equity can be harmonized. The proposal can be justified by the analyses.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-285
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• 2016

This paper analyses the regional financial market of Kyungbuk-East Coast region. The result shows that the credit unions do not do much for easing the credit constraints of small firms in the region. Many papers suggest that it is necessary for them to adhere closely to the regional economy. But they do not do their best to collect borrowers' private informations. Instead they rely on the credit scoring system to assess their creditworthiness and require collaterals to reinforce their weak credits. That is the real root of weak competitiveness of credit unions. To overcome such a problem they need to actively participate in the development of the regional economy, bearing in mind the cooperative principles, especially commitment for the community. On the other hand the government should contrive plans to foster them. When they function actively the regional financial market will become efficient and the regional economy grow smoothly.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.601-622
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• 2010

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the value chain reorganization of cultural contents industry cluster in Daegu city and its impact on the regional economy. To achieve this goal, this research examined the change of value added structure, institutional milieu and networks among regional innovators and their effect on value chain reorganization of cluster. The result shows that the scope of the value chain generating value added have been extended and the networks among regional innovators have been increased. Such value chain reorganization has a positive effect on the regional economy. In the context of public policy, however, the focus of industrial policies needs to generate cultural and institutional specificities in a given region and to strength Triple helix innovation system.