지역무역협정의 형성 동기와 최근 경향 및 경제적 효과에 대한 분석

Purpose This paper analyzes the motivation for the formation of regional trade agreements (RTAs) and the recent trends and economic effects of RTAs. Design/Methodology/Approach This paper contains an historical and analytical review of domestic and foreign literature and internet data on RTAs. Findings Motivations for the formation of RTAs may include improvements in relations between countries or promotion of security, efficient negotiations compared to the WTO’s multilateral consultations, provision of a larger market to domestic producers, the possibility of attracting additional foreign direct investment, and protection of politically sensitive and uncompetitive industries. RTAs in the 1960s and 1970s were aimed at promoting import substitution industrialization while regulating imports from outside the region and enhancing member countries’ negotiating capacity against trade partners. RTAs since the 1990s have been used as substitutes for global negotiations on the one hand and as a means to win concessions from other countries in multilateral negotiations at the global level. The overall effect of RTAs on economic welfare can be seen as being at a limited level, even if it is positive. Not many studies show that RTAs produce a significant trade diversion. Research Implications The sometimes contradictory arguments about the relationship between RTAs and global trade liberalization are based on an intuitive understanding assumption, but it is not easy to verify them empirically. Because the new RTAs has not been in operation for a long time, it is also difficult to reach a conclusion on their economic effects. KCI Citation Count: 2