A New Strategy for Northeast Asian Economic Cooperation

This study proposes the formation of the Northeast Asian Economic Cooperation Council to discuss comprehensive economic cooperation and major economic issues between Korea, Japan and China.

In order to meet the challenge of rising regionalism, it is imperative that the central governments of the region involve themselves more actively in Northeast Asian Economic Cooperation. Given the diversity of Northeast Asian countries, it seems to be more realistic to begin with the central governments of the three major countries in terms of economic size.
However, even among these three countries, the prospects for reaching a regional trade agreement such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), let alone a more advanced economic integration type like the EU, are quite dim in the foreseeable future. Thus, Korea, Japan and China must try to gain as many benefits of economic integration as possible through the formation of a regional economic cooperation body.

Some people might argue the usefulness of the Council, because basically it does not go beyond APEC where all three countries are already members. Indeed, this Council would not produce any legally binding decisions. Rather, it would be a loose economic cooperation entity like APEC, or even a more informal forum than APEC. However, unlike APEC, which has 21 members and covers diverse geographic areas, it can function more effectively concentrating on the regional issues that all three countries are interested in. In this sense, the Council will play a supplementary role to APEC.
It seems to be appropriate that the Korean government propose the formation of the Council. Among the three countries, Korea is positioned in the intermediate position both in terms of geography and economic development. Moreover, unlike Japan and China, nobody would suspect that Korea might seek hegemony in the region.

Prior to the launching of the Council, it is necessary to develop an awareness of the need for, as well as a consensus with regard to the establishment of, the Council. In order to attain these goals, a joint study conducted by the research institutes of the three countries, on Northeast Asian Economic Cooperation, seems to be in order.

서언

요약

Ⅰ. 서론

Ⅱ. 동북아 경제협력의 새로운 방향 모색
1. 동북아 경제협력에 관한 기존 논의
2. 새로운 접근방식의 필요성
3. 한-중-일 위주의 접근방식

Ⅲ. 한-중-일 경제협력 현황 및 제약요인
1. 통상/관세협력
2. 투자협력
3. 금융협력
4. 산업협력
5. 농업협력
6. 어업협력
7. 에너지산업협력
8. 과학기술협력
9. 교통/물류협력
10. 관광협력
11. 정보통신협력
12. 환경협력

Ⅳ. 동북아 경제협력체제 구축을 위한 추진전략
1. 경제통합의 필요성 및 제약요인
2. 동북아 경제협의체 구상
3. 부문별 경제협력의 단계적 심화/확대 전략
4. 동북아 경제협력의 단계별 심화/확대 전략

Ⅴ. 요약 및 결론

참고문헌