Description

When we speak of Asian economic integration, many different scenarios are possible. If we desire for a genuine integration in Asia like the European Union integration, what is essential is nothing but a certain paradigm change about integration. For this change, at least three conventional perspectives on FTAs need to be overcome: (1) illusion that each FTA is separate; (2) the producer-only orientation; and (3) the argument that FTAs are needed to have predominantly economic gains. How to solve mutual problems between long-time partner economies has become a judgment question to be answered in negotiating FTAs, and every FTA offers an excellent problem-solving process.

The negotiation of Korea-China FTA was officially launched in May 2012, and it has fallen into a de facto deadlock situation despite political rhetoric. Both partners need to change their FTA paradigms to address common problems or tasks such as increasing number of trade remedy measures taken against each other’s products, non-transparent or unfair business practices inside, effective protection of IPRs, food safety, and facilitation of economic cooperation between South and North Korea. They must have in mind that many approaches and visions envisaged in the FTA will be destined to be a model, whether they like it or not, for a Pan-Asia FTA.

About The Speaker

Won-Mog CHOI is Visiting Professor of NUS, currently teaching the World Trade Law. He is a professor of Ewha Womans University and director of the WTO Law Center at Seoul. He was the President of the Korea Society of International Economic Law and is the editor-in-chief of the Korean Journal of International and Comparative Law.

Professor Choi is a member of editorial board of many journals including the Journal of International Economic Law. He received his legal education in Korea (SNU, LL.B/M.P.A.) and the US (Georgetown, LL.M./S.J.D.). Won-mog has been providing law and policy advice to most of trade negotiations in which Korea has been participating so far. Prior to joining faculty of Ewha, he worked for the Foreign Ministry of Korea as a diplomatic officer in charge of numerous trade issues.

He published more than 80 books or articles and is also widely recognized as a renowned columnist in Korea. His researches on like products in WTO Agreement and FTA issues are recognized as authoritative to be collected in the Max Planck Encyclopaedia of Public International Law.