Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/78707 
Year of Publication: 
2013
Citation: 
[Journal:] Economics: The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal [ISSN:] 1864-6042 [Volume:] 7 [Issue:] 2013-31 [Publisher:] Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) [Place:] Kiel [Year:] 2013 [Pages:] 1-19
Publisher: 
Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Kiel
Abstract: 
The paper analyzes the potential trade distortion effects of state trading enterprises (STEs) on soybean imports to Korea. Traditionally, STEs have exercised exclusive rights to import the so-called strategic products, to ensure food security, domestic price stabilization, and import mark-ups. However, STE imports have been criticized on the grounds that industries using soybeans as a raw material are unable to obtain a diverse mix of quality material and cannot exercise the right to choose their own ingredients. Under a theoretical framework, a tariff equivalent of the STE is postulated to equate imports by private firms with imports by the STE. An empirical model is constructed and estimated using annual data spanning 1980-2009. The estimated results show that providing exclusive rights to imports has a negative effect on market access. When the STE pursues consumer welfare, the import-reducing effect turns out to be smaller than that in the producer welfare maximization case.
Subjects: 
state trading enterprises
tariff-rate quotas
tariff equivalents
soybeans
sensitive products
JEL: 
F11
F13
Q17
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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