Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tfunk]

Samsung, LG, Hyundai seem to be able to price their goods at competitive rates abroad.

In Korea, products such as the IPhone, foreign cars, movies, maybe even computer games, online services etc. seem to face prohibitive/protective taxes and/or legal procedures.

Do Korean products face the same obstacles? I presume they do to some extent, otherwise negotiations such as the 'European Union � Korea Free Trade Agreement' wouldn't offer any benefits to Korea.

Disclaimer: Based solely upon my internationally-trade-ignorant, personal experiences.

[bobbyhanlon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercantilism
this is (partly) how korea got rich. i always find it strange how countries who imported from korea didn't really retaliate. but now korea is joining the club of high-wage, wealthy nations, the strategy has to change.

[Senior]

For years the Korean home market subsidized the export market. Koreans paid a premium, through tariffs, for their own goods. This meant Samsung, LG etc could afford to gain a foothold in foreign markets. Korea is beginning to free up trade, so this doesn't ring true as much now as in the past, imo.