Research Papers

Publisher: International Trade & Commerce

Date Written: 2024

Abstract.

Purpose - This study seeks to explore the influence of major Chinese e-commerce platforms with global reach, such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein, on South Korean firms. Collectively termed ‘Altesh’, a name coined in South Korea reflecting growing interest, these platforms are often described as reshaping the domestic e-commerce landscape. Design/Methodology/Approach - For the analysis, this study employs an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model to evaluate the impact of Altesh’s growth, using Google search volume as a proxy for the independent variable, on domestic firm performance, including revenue, operating profit, and employment. Findings - The analysis finds that while Altesh’s growth has no significant impact on revenue, it positively influences operating profit and workforce size. This suggests that competition from global platforms may drive domestic firms to improve efficiency, enhance competitiveness, and expand employment, demonstrating the potential benefits of a competitive global environment. Research Implications - This study provides a pioneering empirical analysis of the debated impacts of Chinese e-commerce platforms, a subject of growing relevance both in Korea and globally. It highlights the need for balanced policies that address the dual challenges posed by global e-commerce platforms, respecting consumer choice and supporting domestic businesses, while fostering competitiveness and growth instead of relying solely on restrictive measures. 

Publisher: International Development and Cooperation Review

Date Written: 2020

Abstract.

The virus pandemic created a serious global health crisis, leaving a great number people to deal with infection and death, but it also exposed significant social and economic problems that the world created in the process of globalization. This article aims to explore policy options for international development cooperation in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Before presenting policy options, this paper will, first, identify policy failures of different governments and international agencies and global economic vulnerabilities that led a coronavirus epidemic to the global pandemic. It will, secondly, examine policy constraints that will face global communities. Lastly, the paper will suggest policy options to international development community to support developing countries to deal with policy challenges. 

Publisher: The Korean Journal of Policy Studies

Date Published: 2020

Abstract.

Comprehensive COVID-19 diagnostic testing is regarded as critical in preventing the spread of the virus, but only a few studies thus far have sought to assess the net benefits that sustained testing might offer, despite the importance accorded by researchers to evidence-based policymaking. We performed a cost-benefit analysis using the extended SEIR model to assess whether maintaining the current level of COVID-19 testing is an economically rational choice compared with counterfactual scenarios. Our results suggest that the relationship between the net benefits and the level of testing assumes an inverted-U shape, which means that comprehensive diagnostic testing is effective in flattening the infection curve, but it is a financial burden to society. This study provides evidence that comprehensive diagnostic testing would not be a good strategy for countries with scant financial and medical resources, considering the costs. Furthermore, undertaking comprehensive diagnostic testing without implementing other strategies is a limited approach to preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Therefore, this study suggests that policymakers should find ways to improve the effectiveness of tests, not just increase the level of tests.

Publisher: Korean Social Science Journal

Date Published: 2019.12.01

Abstract.

With the increasing role of East Asian countries in global efforts for poverty reduction and development, an important question has emerged about their policy rationale for international development cooperation. Are East Asian countries using international development for their own economic and commercial advantage, or are they really pursuing the goal of global justice? This paper seeks to answer the question with reference to normative values and ideas, shedding light on the normative aspects of Korean official development assistance (ODA) policy. It first discusses normative theories that construct the moral duty and ethical obligation for international development assistance in order to set a normative reference. Secondly, this paper reviews the underlying policy rationale of Korean ODA. It argues that Korean ODA is strongly self-regarding, as Korean people have a very strong sense of pride about it, while they also feel an obligation towards international development assistance. In conclusion, this paper suggests a three-pronged approach to Korean ODA for the future, while incorporating the strength of Korean development experience and knowledge: aid for human freedom, aid for socio-economic and political development, and aid for the global public good.

Source: Journal of International Development Cooperation

Publisher: Korea International Cooperation Agency

Date Written: 2019.12

Abstract.

Recently, the discourse of the international community on ODA evaluation has been focused more on country program evaluations rather than on project and program evaluations for development effectiveness. In this context, this study aimed to suggest policy implications by comparing and analyzing the current status of Korea to that of other donor countries. Based on a meta-evaluation study aiming to improve the evaluation system itself, we set up a comparative analysis framework, the “evaluation environment evaluation input-evaluation process-evaluation result and utilization.” We also defined details of evaluation criteria in order to compare the Korean case to that of Japan, the UK, Germany, and the Asia Development Bank. The analysis found that the evaluation system in Korea is weaker than that of other donors, especially in terms of evaluation results and utilization. Based on the results of the study, we propose policy alternatives for each of the four meta-evaluation model components and then strongly emphasize the establishment of an evaluation information management system and the official procedures for sharing results with stakeholders in the partner country. 

Publisher: Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation

Date Written: 2019

Source: Journal of International Development Cooperation

Publisher: Korea International Cooperation Agency

Date Written: 2018

Abstract.

The virus pandemic created a serious global health crisis, leaving a great number of people to deal with infection and death, but it also exposed significant social and economic problems that the world created in the process of globalization. This article aims to explore policy options for international development cooperation in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Before presenting policy options, this paper will, first, identify policy failures of different governments and international agencies and global economic vulnerabilities that led a coronavirus epidemic to the global pandemic. It will, secondly, examine policy constraints that will face global communities. Lastly, the paper will suggest policy options to the international development community to support developing countries to deal with policy challenges. 

Publisher: Global Social Policy

Date Written: 2018.07.23.

Introduction.

Institution building remains one of the greatest challenges facing international partners in fragile states. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), donors have significantly invested to help the country recover from the impact of two devastating wars (1996–1997 and 1998–2003) and build resilience. Between 2001 and 2016, for example, the DRC received in total US$39.9 billion of overseas donor aid (ODA; the second most important Sub-Saharan African recipient, after Ethiopia). However, despite all of the international efforts, the state’s institutions remain severely limited for raising tax revenues and delivering essential public goods and services. Recent statistics for the DRC show that tax revenue represented only 8.6% of total revenue in 2012, while in 2014, only 28.3% and 13.5% of the population had access to electricity and improved sanitation facilities, respectively.

Both provisions of public services and the ability to raise tax revenue are critical dimensions of state capacity (Deléchat et al., 2015). They both constitute one of the five Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSGs) – capacity and services – of the New Deal for engagement in fragile states.2 The New Deal highlights the use of country systems as one core principle for aid to effectively support capacity development in fragile states. However, it has been suggested that aid can strengthen country systems if it is delivered through General Budget Support (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2011). In effect, General Budget Support links aid to capacity development and outcome achievements such as enhancement of public financial management and accountability of recipient governments for delivering services. Other aid instruments such as project support or support to and through non-state actors can also be appropriate for meeting short-term service delivery needs. Project-related approaches, however, are likely to undermine the strengthening of government systems.

The following analysis argues that insufficient use of country systems by international partners undermines institution building in the DRC. For a sharper focus, the analysis concentrates on the practices of the DRC’s top-five bilateral donors, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, and France, during the period from 2006 to 2016.

The next section starts with a brief discussion of the political and socioeconomic context and offers an outline of ODA trends and capacity development in the DRC. It then explores whether ODA delivered in the DRC uses country systems. The final section draws some lessons that could be of interest for international efforts for institution building in the DRC.

Source: Springer Nature

Publisher: Child Indicator Research

Date Written: 2018.06.01

Abstract.

This paper aims to examine child poverty in Korea by constructing a multidimensional child poverty index. The Sustainable Development Goals (hereafter SDGs) recommend producing children-specific poverty statistics based on the concept of multidimensional poverty. Responding to such global norms and trends, in Korea, there is an increasing need to define and measure multidimensional poverty among children, focusing on the individual rather than the household as a whole. Drawing on the Poverty and Social Exclusion methodology, we established a Child Deprivation Index and combined it with household income to estimate multidimensional child poverty, using data from the 2013 Korean National Child Survey. The findings show that the number of children in poverty are in fact around 10% of the child population, as measured by material deprivation and income combined, which is two times higher than the official Korean child poverty rate. This indicates that conventional measurements, based only on household income, not only insufficiently identifies poor children, but also excludes more than half of the potential recipients from the social assistance system. In addition, our logit analysis offers strong evidence that deprived children are mostly living in working-poor and single-parent households. These findings lead to the conclusion that support for the working poor should be considered as important child policy agenda.

Publisher:  Korean Comparative Government Review​

Date Written: 2013

Abstract.

Since the collapse of the Marcos regime in 1986 democratization movement led to the Constitution of 1987 and Local Government Code of 1991 which have served as an institutional foundation for comprehensive decentralization reform in the Philippines. The political, administrative, and fiscal decentralization are included in the reform, in particular, while the citizen participation was virtually improved as a way of the political decentralization reform. Due to the reform mentioned above, it is noticeable to discover civil society organizations proper significantly since 1991 and their impacts on the development of local governance. In this study, the local governance of the Philippines was analyzed from two different perspectives: the structural and the procedural aspects which presumably correspond to the quantity and the quality of citizen participation. In the former perspective, the quantity of citizen participation was very much increased and made a great contribution to the growth of local governance. In the latter view, contradictory conclusions were drawn. Some civil society organizations such as the Center for Popular Empowerment have been very active in conceiving and promoting various programs and events for developing urban governance. In particular, their activities have been focused on the urban poor. On the contrary, citizen participation in governmental committees and boards has served as a symbol of rhetoric rather than substantial contribution. This is evidence that the local governance in the Philippines has been still affected by a small group of junta characterized by the traditional local elites. To deal with the local patronage with a high level of citizen participation would be a final task in the process of developing local governance in the Philippines.

Publisher: Public Organization Review 

Date Written: 2014

Abstract.

Why is it so difficult to implement Western reform programs in Asian bureaucracies? To address this question, this study explores cultural aspects of national bureaucracies. A government bureaucracy is shaped by its cultural and historical context, and this paper specifically focuses on contrasting models of government bureaucracy in the USA, Korea, and Germany. Differences between the models are explained by examining both internal operations as well as the relative relationships of the state to society. Based on this, the incompatible assumptions of Korean reformers are examined. This study is useful for developing countries engaged in Western-style bureaucratic reform.