The linkages of the Northeast Asian economies with the rest of the world have become more significant in recent years. The share of intra-regional trade among the Northeast Asian economies increased in most of the countries over the last two decades. The most dynamic changes in the international trade of the East Asian economies can be observed in Northeast Asian economies.

This paper reviews the intra-regional trade structure and the degree of competition among Northeast Asian economies, assessing the viability of forming a regional economic cooperation body. However, it will be difficult for Northeast Asia to produce practical benefits for years to come.

The analysis uses various trade-related indices, including trade specialization, to calculate comparative advantage, intra-industry trade, while the trade conformity index is used with an emphasis on the demand side of international trade.

Overall, this paper analyzes that differential policies between Northeast Asian countries (North Korea, the Soviet Union and China) and Japan are required.
It identifies even more complementary relationships between the countries as the product classification is disaggregated further.