서울-평양 네트워크 경제권 성장전략 구상

Abstract

Under the rapidly changing global economic paradigm, South Korea needs to discover a new growth engine for its future. Changing the way we think, this study would seek a mutually beneficial economic cooperation structure between South and North Korea and propose ‘Seoul-Pyongyang network economy region’ as the most effective cooperative area. This trans-border economic region would encompass the most highly concentrated population and industrial facilities on the Korean peninsula. The industrial capacity of South Korea could be rapidly transferred to North Korea via the network of high-speed transportation and telecommunication system. At the same time, South Korea could utilize North Korea’s relative competitiveness through the integrated economic cooperation. ‘Trans-border economic region’ and ‘network economy’ paradigms suggest a new possibility of economic cooperation between the two Koreas. As one does not need to have its ‘own’ material factors of production under the new economy system, North Korea could earn the growth engine for economic development in a relatively short-term by ‘accessing’ industrial capacities and infrastructures of South Korea. This strategy can fully utilize the capability of Seoul-Incheon region, which is already overcrowded but the most competitive economic region in Korean Peninsula, thus can secure the sustainable growth engine for the future. At the initial stage, the Seoul-Pyongyang region should be developed first, and then the growth momentum should be expanded to promote the development in other economic regions. International cooperation and the investment of foreign capital in other economic regions are desirable to secure financial resources and achieve the balanced growth of Korean peninsula. To prevent the full absorption of network capability into South Korea by the network economy effects, supporting policy for the regions in North Korea should be implemented in the initial stage of cooperation. Also, specific government policies and institutional supports are needed for economic sanctions and trade ban problem, the standardization of distribution system, and the control of network flows.