How did Korea carry out its trade liberalization voluntarily and unilaterally during the first half of the 1980s? This study offers an explanation on that. The mainstream neoclassical economics tells us that developing countries should choose to open their trade markets on their own, with or without outside demands. Most of political scientists, however, see voluntary and unilateral liberalization as a rather unrealistic and impractical option. They see, for one, fierce opposition from the industries that have enjoyed trade protection up to the point as a major barrier that could discourage the initiative from the very beginning. This study explains how Korea overcame this and other challenges and succeeded in achieving the difficult task of achieving the voluntary and unilateral trade liberalization during the first half of the 1980s.
From the mid-1970s into the beginning of the 1980s, Korea had faced serious economic and political difficulties. (The rest omitted)

![thors, Yoon-ha Yoo and Byoung-Joo Kim, would like to convey their very special thanks to Ambassadors Soogil Young and Ki-hwan Kim. Ambassador Kim kindly shared many hours going over his precious memories. Ambassador Young guided this study from the beginning to the end. Without his generous support, this study would have been impossible.
2015 Modularization of Korea’s Development Experience
South Korea’s Voluntary Unilateral Import Liberalization During the 1st Half of 1980s
Title
South Korea’s Voluntary Unilateral Import Liberalization During the 1st Half of 1980s
Supervised by Prepared by Author
Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF), Republic of Korea KDI School of Public Policy and Management Yoon-Ha Yoo, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management Byoung-Joo Kim, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management
Advisory
Min-young Han, Director of Economic Legal Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Soogil Young, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management
Research Management Supported by
KDI School of Public Policy and Management Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF), Republic of Korea
Government Publications Registration Number 11-1051000-000682-01 ISBN 979-11-5545-173-1 94320 ISBN 979-11-5545-171-7 [SET 6] Copyright © 2014 by Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Republic of Korea
Government Publications Registration Number 11-1051000-000682-01
Knowledge Sharing Program
2015 Modularization of Korea’s Development Experience
South Korea’s thors, Yoon-ha Yoo and Byoung-Joo Kim, would like to convey their very special thanks to Ambassadors Soogil Young and Ki-hwan Kim. Ambassador Kim kindly shared many hours going over his precious memories. Ambassador Young guided this study from the beginning to the end. Without his generous support, this study would have been impossible.
2015 Modularization of Korea’s Development Experience
South Korea’s Voluntary Unilateral Import Liberalization During the 1st Half of 1980s
Title
South Korea’s Voluntary Unilateral Import Liberalization During the 1st Half of 1980s
Supervised by Prepared by Author
Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF), Republic of Korea KDI School of Public Policy and Management Yoon-Ha Yoo, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management Byoung-Joo Kim, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management
Advisory
Min-young Han, Director of Economic Legal Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Soogil Young, Professor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management
Research Management Supported by
KDI School of Public Policy and Management Ministry of Strategy and Finance (MOSF), Republic of Korea
Government Publications Registration Number 11-1051000-000682-01 ISBN 979-11-5545-173-1 94320 ISBN 979-11-5545-171-7 [SET 6] Copyright © 2014 by Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Republic of Korea
Government Publications Registration Number 11-1051000-000682-01
Knowledge Sharing Program
2015 Modularization of Korea’s Development Experience
South Korea’s](/image.do?type=idas&timeFile=/asset/2016/04/19/DOC/PREVIEW/04201604190144211036531.jpg)
Title |
South Korea’s voluntary unilateral import liberalization during the 1st half of 1980s
Similar Titles
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Sub Title | How ideas, interests and bureaucratic autonomy drove new policies, overcoming obstacles and opposition |
Project Category | Development Cases |
Material Type | Report |
Author(English) |
Yoo, Yoon-Ha; Kim, Byoung-Joo |
Publisher |
Sejong : KDI School |
Date | 2015 |
Project | Development Cases |
Series Title; No | Knowledge Sharing Program; 경제발전경험 모듈화 사업 |
ISBN | 979-11-5545-173-1 94320; 979-11-5545-171-7 [SET 6] |
Pages | 52 |
Subject Country | South Korea(Asia and Pacific) |
Language | English |
File Type | Documents |
Original Format | |
Subject | Economy < Trade |
Holding | KDI School |
Supervisor | Ministry of Strategy and Finance |
Organizer | Ministry of Strategy and Finance; KDI School |
Sponsor | Ministry of Strategy and Finance |
Project Term | 2015-01-01 ~ 2015-12-31 |
License | ![]() |
Abstract
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