• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

Purpose - The global trend of protectionism has expanded since the onset of US President Donald Trump's administration in 2017. This global phenomenon has led to a significant reduction in world trade volume and a negative impact on economic development in some countries where the external sector accounts for a large proportion of GDP. Although Korea is a country vulnerable to this deteriorating trade environment, few studies have examined the relationship between protectionism and its business cycles based on Korean data. Thus, this paper investigates the impact of protectionism on Korea's business cycle. Design/methodology - To identify future implications, we conduct a structural vector autoregression (VAR) analysis using monthly Korean data from 1994 to 2015. Macroeconomic variables in the model include the industrial production index, inflation rates, exports (or net exports), interest rates, and exchange rates. For the identification of the shock reflecting the expansion of protectionism, we use an antidumping investigation (ADI) data. Since ADIs are followed generally by the imposition of antidumping tariffs, they have no contemporaneous impact on tariffs and are also contemporaneously exogenous to other endogenous variables in the VAR model. We examine two kinds of ADI shocks i) shocks on Korean exports imposed by Korea's trading partners (ADI-imposed shocks) and ii) shocks on imports imposed by the Korean government (ADI-imposing shocks). Findings - We find that Korea's exports decline sharply due to ADI-imposed shocks; the lowest point at the third month after the initial shock; and do not recover until 24 months later. Simultaneously, the inflation rate decreases. Therefore, the ADI-imposed shock can be regarded as a negative shock on the demand curve where both production and price decrease. In contrast, the ADI-imposing shock generates a different response. The net exports decline, but the inflation rate increases. These can be seen as standard responses with respect to the negative shock on the supply curve. Originality/value - We shed light on the relationship between protectionism and Korea's economic fluctuations, which is rarely addressed in previous studies. We also consider the effects of both protective policy measures on imports to Korea imposed by the Korean government and on policy measures imposed by Korea's trading partner countries on its exports.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.41-76
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• 2017

This paper analyses the market shares and the export similarity indexes (ESI) of Korea, Japan and China in ASEAN, and then identifies the determinants of Korea's exports to ASEAN countries using single equation cointegration approaches, such as fully modified OLS (FMOLS), dynamic OLS (DOLS), and canonical cointegration regression (CCR). Various regression results are as follows: As expected, Korea's real exports tend to increase as importing country's GDP grows. The competing third country's currency depreciation affects Korea's exports differently from country to country. Most notably, it doesn't significantly affect Korean exports in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. These results suggest that bilateral or third country exchange rates are not that important or decisive factors to determine Korea's exports to ASEAN countries in the long-run while economic growth in ASEAN countries matters most.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.157-172
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• 2020

Purpose - This research empirically proves the extent to which export insurance promotes Korean exports to research object countries among New Southern countries. The outcome of this research will present implications for the operations of export insurance for exports to these countries. Design/methodology - For the empirical analysis, the export equation was composed using a basic gravity model. Based on this, the determinants of Korea's exports to research object countries were analyzed. In this study, a panel unit root test and panel cointegration test were conducted. As a result of the panel unit root test, it was confirmed that the variables of the panel data are not belonging to I(0), but to I(1). As a result of the panel cointegration test, it was established that there are long-term stable relationships among all variables. Accordingly, the gravity model was estimated using original data in order to reduce the information loss caused by the first difference, in spite of individual data belonging to I(1). Findings - For the estimated results of panel OLS, the estimated coefficient of short-term export insurance was 0.56-0.64, with statistically significant results at the significance level of 1%. In addition, for the analysis results of the random effect model, the estimated coefficient of short-term export insurance was 0.59-0.64%, with a statistically significant result at the 1% significance level. This could indicate that Korean export insurance has positive influences on export promotion to New Southern countries. Originality/value - The research implies that export insurance has a 4.1 to 4.7 multiplier effect in expanding exports to the New Southern countries for Korea. This research has intensively analyzed the effects of export insurance on the promotion of exports to a selected area by a government foreign economic policy, which is the originality and value of this paper.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates the competition effect of exports between Korea and China in their common-export markets considering market sophistication. Modern market sophistication includes an importing country's aggregate demand for products of high quality, design, novelty, eco-friendliness, and even IPR protection. Using an empirical analysis to identify the demand for product quality across countries, this paper estimates the effects of market sophistication on the competition between Korean exports and Chinese products. Design/Methodology - Our empirical model considers the relationship between an importing country's consumer sophistication and the export competition between Korea and China. This study employs the existing theoretical framework to identify the aggregate demand for product quality across countries. Using a quite direct measurement (the consumer sophistication index, our analysis investigates the differential effects of Korea's export market sophistication, particularly in markets where Korean exports are in competition with similar Chinese products. Findings - Our main findings can be summarized as follows: the negative effects of the export competition between Korea and China on Korea's exports are stronger in third markets where consumers are less sophisticated while the effects are not as pronounced in markets where consumers are more sophisticated. This result, however, best applies to differentiated goods which significantly vary in product quality. Originality/value - Existing studies focus on the supply side of production and make the assumption that the market preference for export quality is identical across countries. This paper attempts to evaluate the export competition between Korea and China from the demand-side perspective. This area of trade studies is underexplored both empirically and in theory, although the issue has long been important to Korean and world trade.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.109-126
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• 2022

Purpose - Based on the relevant panel data for China and 13 of the RCEP countries from 2008-2019, this paper conducts an in-depth study on the impact of trade facilitation levels on China's cross-border e-commerce exports using the expanded trade gravity model. Design/methodology - This study constructs a trade facilitation index (TFI) system, and uses the principal component analysis method to measure the trade facilitation levels of RCEP countries in 2008-2019. This result is then introduced into the extended gravity model to explore the effect of trade facilitation in RCEP countries on China's cross-border e-commerce export. Findings - It is found that the overall trade facilitation level has a significant effect on China's cross-border e-commerce exports. Among the primary indicators, with the exception of infrastructure, the other four indicators demonstrate a significant impact. The findings show that China should strengthen its cooperation with RCEP countries in trade facilitation and cross-border e-commerce to better achieve complementary regional economic development. Originality/value - This paper has three contributions: first, this paper builds a TFI system that includes five primary indicators based on the characteristics of cross-border e-commerce. Second, we explore the impact of trade facilitation levels of RCEP countries on China's cross-border e-commerce exports, which helps to fill the gap in existing studies of the impact of cross-border e-commerce exports. Third, this paper further analyzes the impact of five primary indicators on cross-border e-commerce exports; this thus provides more targeted measures to improve trade facilitation levels.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.1-27
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• 2017

The purpose of this paper is to examine how industry-level R&D investments increase exports in Korean manufacturing industries through the strengthening of product competitiveness and cost competitiveness. We developed a research model indicating that R&D investments positively affect product competitiveness and cost competitiveness, in which investments in R&D will finally lead to increases in exports in manufacturing industries. Product competitiveness is divided into new product innovation capability and product quality competitiveness, while cost competitive advantage is divided into labor productivity and capital productivity. We have collected data from 20 manufacturing industries between 2004 and 2014, and analyzed them through path analysis. Empirical results of this study are as follows. First, R&D investment in the manufacturing industry positively affects new product innovation capability, product quality competitiveness, labor productivity and capital productivity of the industries. Second, increased product quality competitiveness, labor productivity and capital productivity positively affects exports of Korean manufacturing industries. Thus, we can conclude that R&D investments in Korean manufacturing industries positively influence exports through increases in product quality competitiveness, labor productivity and capital productivity.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.107-133
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• 2011

This paper aims to analyze the causal relationships between agricultural exports and economic growth in the U.S. economy by 50 states. Using the annual data from 1973 to 2007, the theoretical methodologies based on the export-led growth (ELG) model under the static model, the impulse response function (IRF) and forecast error variation decomposition (FEVD) under the vector autoregressive (VAR) model, and the Granger causality test. The results show the causal relationship between agricultural exports and economic growth at the states' level. Especially, the ELG hypothesis is strongly supported in the case of 16 states (HI, ID, KS, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NC, ND, OK, OR, RI, SD, TX, WA, and WI) and is also weakly supported in the case of 31 states. Therefore, the agricultural exports are important factor of developing in the U.S. economy, and furthermore some states (located in coastal area and breadbasket) indicate the strong evidence for agricultural exports-led growth.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.581-591
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• 2023

Domestic processed food exports might increase due to the free trade agreement (FTA) and spread of the Korean Wave, Hallyu. However, the share of the domestic raw materials in the domestic processed food industry is very low at 31.4%, which limits the spillover effect on domestic agriculture. Therefore, we selected frozen dumplings as a representative processed food whose exports are growing rapidly and conducted a multiple regression analysis to examine the effects of Hallyu and FTA variables on the frozen dumpling exports. We tried to link them to an increase in agricultural income through the expansion of demand for the domestic raw materials. This study analyzed tariff indicator as the FTA variable, cosmetics export value indicator as the Hallyu Wave variable, and other variables expected to change the trade environment such as gross domestic product (GDP) and the relative exchange rate by country as the key explanatory variables that affect changes in the trade environment. The analysis showed that the core hypothesis, the Hallyu variable and the FTA variable, have a positive impact on frozen dumpling exports. Frozen dumpling exports are expected to increase as the FTAs and the spread of Hallyu are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Therefore, we should seek ways to increase the proportion of domestically produced ingredients in the frozen dumplings to spread the economic impact to domestic agriculture. We reviewed previous studies and determined, the price-related factors play a major role in the use of imported ingredients, and that price stability and competitiveness are essential to increase the share of the domestically produced ingredients. Based on these conclusions, we reviewed the current status of food industry-related policies and determined measures needed to expand the use of domestically produced ingredients.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.99-122
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• 2019

ODA (Official Development Assistance) aims for practicing international humanitarianism in developing countries. However, ODA donors also seek to find convincing evidence meeting the national economic & political interests in the international community. In this regards, precise & unbiased estimation of the policy effects of ODA aid on the donors' exports to the recipient countries has recently become one of the primary concerns of the ODA donors, especially developing countries including Korea of which economy structure heavily relies on exports for economic growth. Based on the basic gravity model, this study empirically analyzes the effects of technical cooperation ODA delivering skills, knowledge and technical know-how on Korea's exports to the ODA recipient countries using 10-year panel data from 2007 to 2016. Specifically, by incorporating major variables affecting trade such as GDP, distance, FDI etc, the effect of technical cooperation ODA on Korea's exports to the ODA recipient countries is estimated with various kinds of panel models. As a result, technical cooperation ODA has a statistically significant impact on Korea's exports to ODA recipient countries, especially in the exports of intermediate goods. And the detail process of this black-boxed mechanism is scrutinized through case studies on Uzbekistan, The Philippines, and Morocco.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.133-140
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• 2019

Following the recent US trade deficit, the trade war began between Korea and Japan in July. Korea's trade dependence is about 60% or more, indicating high export dependence and import dependence. The purpose of this study is to examine export amount, export volume, export price index, Treasury bond interest rate and analyze how index affects export amount. This study attempts to analyze the comovement and volatility with export amount. For this purpose, monthly data for each indicator were selected for a total of 234 months from January 2000 to June 2019. As a result of analysis, exports amount and exports volume showed very high comovement, exports amount and interest rates showed low comovement, but exports amount and exports prices showed very low comovement. In the future, Korea should continue to increase exports amount in view of its high dependence on trade, along with policies to expand the domestic market. To this end, strategy to increase exports volume should be presented. Korea should increase the logistics environment and competitiveness of each port and airport, improve domestic and overseas network construction and support services of logistics companies.