산업화 초기 한국과 일본의 자동차부품산업정책 비교·분석

Abstract

This paper analyzes the contents and characteristics of protective and promotive polices of Korea and Japan for the auto parts industry during the early industrialization periods. It also discusses the two government’s policies on the relationship between auto assemblers and their auto parts suppliers. The analysis is focused on auto parts localization policies and integration policies during the early industrialization periods. Korean policies for auto parts localization were not as successful as the Japanese policies due to the following reasons: First, the localization of auto parts was promoted under a monopoly of one assemblers in the 1960s. Second, under political pressure, locally produced auto parts were also imported customs-free from abroad. Third, auto parts companies that should have been the subject of governmental support have been excluded from the government’s policy implementation process. The integration policies of Korea and Japan regarding auto parts companies in the early stage of industrialization have the following differences. First, Korea and Japan both pushed the policy of completely separating and fostering assemblers and auto parts companies. However, the goal of the Japanese government was to protect and nurture mid-sized companies whereas the Korean government sought to gain competitive advantage in the automobile industry. Second, the Japanese government pushed the ‘two track’policy that fostered both integrated auto parts companies and specialized auto parts companies at the same time. The Korean government initially promoted a horizontal integration policy granting a monopolistic status to specialized auto parts companies, but later shifted to a vertical integration policy that integrated auto parts suppliers to assemblers. Third, the Japanese policies led to the growth of independent specialized auto parts companies as well as the technological improvement of integrated auto parts companies, which in turn weakened the subordination structure and increased competitiveness. However, in Korea, the government policies aggravated the subordination of auto parts suppliers to assemblers, and only strengthened the monopolistic elements in supply and demand of the auto parts market.