Seoul’s new foreign minister faces manifold challenges

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Foreign Minister ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Global Status

Significance Her successor is Chung Eui-yong, President Moon Jae-in’s former national security advisor. At his swearing-in yesterday, Chung called peace with Pyongyang “a must-go path”. At his confirmation hearing on February 5, he insisted that Kim Jong-un “still has the intention to denuclearise”. Moon’s term ends in May 2022, giving Chung little time. Impacts The crisis over Iran’s seizure of a South Korean ship looks close to resolution. Chung’s and Moon’s focus on Pyongyang will devour energies that could have been spent on cementing Seoul’s global status. Long an enthusiast for free trade agreements (FTAs), which have bipartisan support, Seoul is readying to join the region’s two mega-FTAs.

Merger will strengthen Japan's shipping sector

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Shipping Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Shipping ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Retail Prices

Subject Developments in the Japanese shipping industry and the international shipping market. Significance Three of Japan’s largest shipping lines -- Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui OSK and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha -- plan to consolidate their operations in July 2017 to save an estimated 1 billion dollars per year. The three lines combined will control an estimated 7% of the global market, and expand their share of the increasingly critical trans-Pacific market, which has realigned significantly in response to the bankruptcy of South Korean shipping firm Hanjin in August. Impacts This major consolidation may prompt other carriers in other states to follow suit. Powerful new opposition to free trade agreements in major economies will lead to previously unexpected trade contractions. Retail prices for goods imported from East Asia will likely rise.

Brexit will be damaging for UK-EU services trade

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Services Trade ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Trade Deals ◽  
The Eu

Significance Even if it succeeds, this will have a greater disruptive impact on the trade in services than goods, because the EU’s single market enables greater cross-border services trade than is typical of other free trade agreements (FTAs). This is likely to cut the volume of EU-UK services trade, in which the United Kingdom currently enjoys a substantial surplus. Impacts The United Kingdom’s departure from the EU will diminish its appeal for multinationals over the next few years, at least. The new UK immigration system could result in staff shortages in low-skilled services sectors. The imperative of tackling COVID-19 will likely delay the conclusion of new trade deals with non-EU countries.

E-Commerce in South Korean FTAs: Policy Priorities and Provisional Inconsistencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S85-S98 ◽  
Author(s):  
EVAN Y. KIM
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade ◽  
Consumer Protection ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Relevant Issue ◽  
Electronic Signatures ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bilateral Negotiations

AbstractThe e-commerce chapters in South Korea's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) cover a wide range of issues, ranging from non-discrimination to electronic signatures. Across the agreements, the country's provisions on consumer protection, paperless trading, and data protection are uniquely consistent, while those on other issues are not. With the aid of a framework (Framer v. Follower) that captures the dynamics of bilateral negotiations, this paper argues that in Korea's case, the more consistent a particular set of provisions is portfolio-wide, the more likely it was for Korea to have prioritized the relevant issue and actively pushed its preferred terms in the FTAs.

Seoul’s next leader will prioritise global ambitions

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
South Korea ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
North Korea ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Content Type

Significance Moon Jae-in’s preoccupations in his final year as president will remain local -- not least, coordinating policy on North Korea with the Biden administration. However, his successor, to be elected in March 2022, will have broader horizons. Impacts Ignoring Pyongyang may prompt new and potentially bloody provocations, as happened to President Lee Myung-bak in 2010. South Korea will pursue fresh free trade agreements. Its declared intention to join the CPTPP has not yet yielded a specific roadmap. Asia will remain Seoul’s main focus; South Asia, especially India, offers many untapped synergies. ‘Top table’ ambitions such as the G7 summit will make it more difficult for Seoul to ignore human rights in its diplomacy, as it used to.

US-Africa plan has promise but will not displace China

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Senior Administration ◽  
Trade And Investment

Subject Outlook for Washington's Prosper Africa initiative. Significance Six months on from the unveiling of its new Africa policy, the Trump administration’s signature new initiative -- Prosper Africa -- has finally been revealed. Prosper Africa intensifies Washington’s prioritisation of trade over aid and will attempt to double two-way trade and investment by 2025. Impacts Limited engagement by senior administration officials may hinder implementation and legitimisation. Washington will focus on new bilateral free trade agreements, though the wider African Growth and Opportunity Act should remain in place. Washington’s political engagement with Africa will remain relatively limited.

No backstop or no deal is Ireland’s Brexit dilemma

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Increasing Risk ◽  
The Eu

Significance Despite the increasing risk and the implications of a no-deal Brexit, Ireland and the EU remain united in support of the main issue preventing a Brexit deal, the backstop. Impacts A time-limited backstop is the most likely prospect for a Brexit deal compromise. Under a no-deal Brexit, Ireland would be under pressure to implement border checks and controls in order to protect EU rules. No deal would make it harder for the United Kingdom to negotiate free-trade agreements with the EU and the United States.

scholarly journals Understanding small-firm reactions to free trade agreements

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Battisti ◽  
Tanya Jurado ◽  
Martin Perry
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Small Firm ◽  
International Marketing ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marketing Models

Purpose – Despite the proliferation of free trade agreements (FTAs) internationally, the limited research available on the subject indicates that few SMEs consider the existence of these agreements as a reason to engage in international markets or expand their existing international engagement. The purpose of this paper is to identify and augment SME international marketing models building on Merrilees and Tiessen's (1999) work; and to explain how these marketing models condition the reaction of small firm exporters to FTAs. Design/methodology/approach – This study comprised in-depth interviews with 51 SME exporters in New Zealand. Participants were selected purposefully and were interviewed in a face-to-face, semi-structured format. Findings – Five international marketing strategies were identified drawing on prior models of international marketing: sales-driven, relationship-driven, international boutique, arbitrager and market seeder. These models are characterised by different relationships to markets and to buyers served, and by the extent of customisation in the export offering. By using these models the authors analyse why SMEs have yet to significantly capitalise on the opportunities provided by New Zealand's recent wave of trade agreements. Research limitations/implications – This study acknowledges the diversity of international marketing strategies between seemingly similar firms by recognising that approaches generally viewed as unlikely to bring success in international markets can work when applied in a particular way and in a particular context. As such the results may offer a useful starting point for the customisation of policy advice on exporting in terms of the context in which SMEs operate. Originality/value – As well as advancing theoretical perspectives on SME international marketing strategies, the findings are presented as a contribution to the as yet limited evaluation of how SMEs in New Zealand have responded to the emerging opportunities created by FTAs. The interest in filling this gap is part of a growing recognition that factors related to the firm's trading environment have been largely neglected in policy considerations.

scholarly journals Priorities of the Republic of Korea in Integration Projects

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 144-157
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Nikolaevich Fedorovskii
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Republic Of Korea ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Asia Pacific Region ◽  
South Korean ◽  
The Republic

The article deals with the main purposes, opportunities and risks of the Republic of Korea’s involvement in integration projects. The author stresses the basic principles of South Korean foreign economic strategy, including common views of the different president administrations on key foreign economic priorities, including constant support of business expansion towards the most prominent markets. The analysis focuses also on new methods of support of national business interests: the transition from rigid defense of domestic market to adoption to growing competition at home as far as foreign partners agreed to open their markets to South Korean export. The paper describes role of bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and regional mega-projects in South Korea’s foreign economic diplomacy. Comparison study of bilateral Free Trade Agreements between the Republic of Korea on the one side, European Union, the USA and China on the other sides. The author characterizes growing role of China and other East Asian countries for South Korean economy the ROK-China Free Trade Agreement, including some obstacles and limitations to upgrade development of bilateral economic exchanges. Special attention paid to positive and negative factors, influenced on economic integrations between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The paper describes Seoul’s interests in economic integration projects in East Asia, including involvement in joint economic projects with ASEAN. The author analyses the Republic of Korea’s attitude to regional mega-projects in Asia-Pacific region such as Trans-Pacific Partnership. Finally the article describes modern stage and possible development of Russia-South Korea economic relations and contains forecast of the main trends of the Republic of Korea’s involvement in integration projects in East Asia and in Asia-Pacific region in general.

What Explains South Korean Interest in FTA Partners?

Asian Survey ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 982-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chika Yamamoto Rosenbaum ◽  
Jonathan Krieckhaus
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Free Trade ◽  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Market Size ◽  
Geographic Proximity ◽  
South Korean ◽  
China And Japan ◽  
Trade Partners

This study examines why and when South Korea has pursued free trade agreements. Empirical analysis evaluates Korea’s free trade partners based on (1) market size, (2) levels of economic development, (3) geographic proximity, (4) democratic governance, and (5) trade competition with China and Japan.

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