• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.931-955
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• 2024

International trade in the clothing industry has contributed significantly to South Korea's economic development. This study examines the interplay between textile and clothing exports, imports, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth from a macroeconomic perspective using a model with vector autoregressive with exogenous variables (VARX). The findings indicate that GDP growth negatively impacts textile and clothing exports but is positively correlated with imports. Furthermore, GDP growth from one and two years prior negatively affects current exports while positively influencing imports. Macroeconomic indicators, including the consumer price index, private consumption index, and producer price index, significantly impact the textile and clothing trades. By contrast, the won/dollar exchange rate and the Bank of Korea's base interest rate do not appear to exert any substantial effect. An unexpected impulse from GDP growth strongly affects the status of textile and clothing imports. Predictions for the future indicate stable GDP growth over the next five years, with high volatility anticipated in the clothing industry's trade balance. This study applies endogenous growth theory to the global clothing trade, yielding theoretical insights, and offers empirical guidance for government agencies wishing to support domestic clothing trade firms.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.101-118
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• 2020

This study aims to quantify the effects of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on exports in the Korean manufacturing industry. To do this, we employ product-level export data that includes information about whether or not a product is affected by NTMs. One of the main results is that NTMs (SPS/TBT) on average led to reduction in Korean exports. However, the effects of NTMs differed depending on the income level of the NTM-imposing country. The NTMs imposed by high-income countries, such as U.S.A. and Japan, were found to impede Korean exports, whereas the export effect of NTMs imposed by low-income countries such as China was found to not be statistically significant. In addition, the results analyzed based across industries, income level, and types of NTMs are as follows. First, NTMs imposed on textile-related products generally hindered exports regardless of the type of NTMs, but its negative impact on exports was noticeable in the case of NTMs originating from high-income countries. On the other hand, chemical product-related NTMs were found to lead to an increase in Korean exports, and it had a positive effect in the case of SPS imposed by low-income countries. In other industries except for textile- and chemical-related products, the effects of NTMs on exports were either statistically insignificant or showed inconsistent patterns.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.207-220
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• 2019

In the context of export-oriented growth strategy, Korea has promoted the conclusion of FTAs and 16 FTAs have entered into force or concluded so far. Despite of these efforts, the expansion of the global value chain (GVC) has resulted in fragmentation of production processes and international companies have been struggling to meet the criteria for determining the rule of origin. In order to overcome these difficulties, some foreign FTAs have been introducing cross-cumulation of origin. In this paper, we try to examine empirically whether the easing of the rules of origin using cross-cumulation contributes to the increase in actual value-added exports. we quantify the effects of cross-cumulation included in the EU-Vietnam FTA on Korean exports of the textile through a gravity model using the concept of value-added export. Based on the analysis results, the proportion of value-added exports in Vietnam increased by adoption of cross-cumulation of origin, which consequently resulted into an increase in total exports. This paper tries to draw several implications for the rules of origin in Korea's FTAs including cross-cumulation considering the export value chain of Korea.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 1997

The main purpose of this study was to examine the sectors of Korean textile complex based on various economic characteristics and performances. The sectors in the textile complex differed in many aspects. Man-made fiber industry showed capital-intensive characteristics even though most of the sectors in the textile complex were labor-intensive. Textile industry is composed of weaving and spinning, knitting, dyeing and finishing sectors and even within the textile industry, each sector had different characteristics from each others. Weaving and spinning sector seemed to require relatively high capital investment, while dyeing and finishing was very labor-intensive. Labor-intensive apparel industry has faced decrease in labor-productivity while wage has increased. Slow growth in labor productivity in Korean textile complex was shown to be a more problem than increase in wage or ratio of labor cost to value added. Apparel companies appeared to be in better financial states than the textile companies, even though the exports of apparel products have decreased in the 1990s. However, in overall the financial states of the Korean textile complex were not as strong as those of the other manufacturing sectors.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.5 s.58
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• pp.844-855
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• 2005

The purpose of this paper is to examine which fashion brands are most likely to be investigated by Korean textile firms when they conduct their market trend analyses. The result shows that for the domestic sales, textile firms are most likely to collect and analyze information on the Cheil Textil Co. It is followed by Bean Pole, Chanel, Buberry, Tomboy. For the future domestic sales, textile firms prefers referring foreign fashion brands such as Burberry, ZARA, MaxMara, Missoni, and Chanel. Textile firms majoring exports prefers collecting and analyzing information on D&G followed by Chanel, Gucci, and DKNY. This preference, however, differs when considering exporting areas. Textile firms targeting the French market considers Gucci, followed by Ferragamo, Dior, Louisvuitton. Textile firms targeting the Italian market prefer Chanel, followed by Valentine, ZARA, Gucci, and Armani. Chanel is also top brand for the North American and Japanese markets, and followed by GAP, ZARA, OZOC, Missoni, Munshing Wear. The information content collected and analyzed by textile firms is style, pattern, color, and textile materials for textile firms targeting the domestic sales, while the exporting firms prefer information on color and textile materials proposed and presented by the fashion brands to which they prefer to make reference. The result of this study can be used to effectively and efficiently collect and analyze market information on fashion brands for textile firms majoring the domestic and foreign sales.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.588-595
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness levels of Korean textile companies and develop appropriate response plans for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement. Through such, the study aims to explore practical and realistic directions that the Korean textile industry must take in the future. As for the research method, a survey on the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement was conducted to 50 Korean textile companies which mainly deal in textile exports. Results showed that Korean textile companies possess above average awareness for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement and carry the perception that the FTA has thus far had a positive effect of market revitalization and contributions to sales. Nonetheless, perceptions on the needs for the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement and level of awareness were below average while government assistance seen to be unsatisfactory. Such results suggest that measures for successful access to the U.S. market require developing products customized for the U.S. market and creating new market opportunities by participating in U.S. exhibits and shows. In addition, textile companies must develop their abilities for self-sustainability through continuous FTA related programs provided by government in addition to investing efforts to understand global markets within companies through response measures on the FTA as a whole.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.462-473
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• 2008

In recent years, Korea's apparel exports to the USA have faced a great threat, as the trade environment around the world has changed continually. The purpose of this study is to analyze the competitive position of Korean apparel exports to the USA, and to enhance export competitiveness by applying to offshore sourcing. The trade data of the Office of Textiles and Apparel(OTEXA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce were selected for inquiry about export competitiveness of apparel products made in Korea. In addition, we targeted members of the Korea Apparel Industry Association among the 500 exporters of clothing items in "The Import and Export Textile Product 2003." A total 70 sheets were analyzed. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Korean apparel exports to USA have decreased by 20-35 percent per year since 2005 under the Free Trade Area, showing that Korean apparel industries have not adapted to the new trade environment. Although Korean apparel exports to USA have indicated a trade surplus from now on, Korean apparel industries should find new ways to overcome this situation, diminishing exports and increasing imports. 2) Korean apparel companies selected more offshore sourcing than domestic sourcing. Also, as Korean apparel companies manufactured apparel products offshore, foreign subcontracting outranked manufacturing in their own foreign plants. When they chose foreign countries to source, they turned mainly to China and Vietnam. Also, they considered the target country's manufacturing price, labor stability, apparel products, quality, lead time, and so on. In order to increase apparel exports, Korean apparel industries should focus more on developing competitively new apparel products, improving the ability of sourcing management, and establishing on-the-spot agencies.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.7-18
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• 1999

This study concerns the demand for Korean textile products in the USA, Japan, EU from 2000 to 2003. The result from the practice of study is as follows; The grand total export demand of textile product is estimated about U$7.2billion in 2000, U$8.5billion in 2003, and the annual growing rate is estimated 5.17%. The export of textile product to USA, Japan, EU, and other countries will be gradually increased from 2000 to 2003. Comparing to annual average export growing ratio, it is expected the ranks of annual average growing ratio as follows; The highest ratio is 8.35% in EU, the next 7.08% in other countries, 2.67% in Japan, and 2.51% in USA. It shows the change of the new countries to which our nation exports textile-products from the exportmarket structure of the present major export countries such as USA, Japan to EU and other nations. Also shows the same result in the export ratio by countries. The research predicts that the textile export portion will be decreased for our nation to USA and Japan while increased to EU and other countries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.958-969
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• 2002

No one doubts that textile and apparel industries have contributed to economic miracles of the export-led growth in Korea. However, by the turning of 1990′s, these sectors have encountered many problems such as decreasing of domestic production and exports mainly due to wage rise and shortage. Therefore, foreign direct investment to the low labor cost countries has been enlarged for a way of improving its competitiveness and increasing exports. However, no intensive study has been made exploring current investments and future directions. This study focuses Vietnam as one of the promising overseas investment countries. The purposes of this study are to analyze current investment status of Korean textiles and apparel firms in Vietnam, to explore merits and problems Vietnam has, and to present useful implications and strategies for Korean textiles and apparel companies. Analysis of current secondary data suggests that Korean apparel industry, rather than textiles industry, have invested more in Vietnam, mostly in southern Ho Chi Minh City. Investments of Korean apparel and textile firms have shown steady increase from 1990 but have turned to a decrease from 1995. Findings suggested that Vietnam has merits for attracting foreign investment since it provides relatively cheap labor and outstanding skillful hands suitable for apparel and textiles industries. In addition, because of EU quota increase and the trade agreement between Vietnam and USA it is likely for firms in Vietnam to increase exports to EU and USA Rapid expansion of domestic apparel market and "Korean trend (Han Rue)" in Vietnam resulted from successful star marketing of Korean firms are another merits Vietnam has to the Korean fm. However, regulations of central government, low efficiency of bureaucratic and stiff administrative process, difficulty of making decision in case of joint venture, lack of social overhead capital, high factory construction costs, weak construction condition, and the excessive competition among investment enterprises have found to be problems. Based on pros and cons of investment to Vietnam, marketing strategies, practical implications and future directions were suggested.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.473-484
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• 2021

This study aims to examine the role of training and absorptive capacity as a mediator to examine the impact of human capital dimensions on the performance of an organization. This study employs the quantitative approach for analysis. A sample of 208 respondents was collected from the textile factories based in Karachi and Faisalabad. Data was analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique. PLS-SEM algorithm was used to check the validity and reliability of the data. PLS-SEM bootstrapping was used for studying the impact. The results show that the skills have an insignificant impact on organizational performance. Education and skills have an insignificant indirect impact on the performance of an organization. The research findings show that the human capital dimensions are full and partially mediated via absorptive capacity and training. The findings revealed that if we implement one by one dimension of human capital then it will not cause any increase in the organization's performance but if we implement all dimensions then it results in optimal performance. Thus, this study suggests adopting effective training techniques and creating absorptive capacity in an organization to increase the performance of an organization. The findings of this study significantly contribute to the existing body of knowledge.