Bongsuk Sung

Who Drives Market Access for Genetically Modified Organisms and Products in Korea? A Political Economy Approach to Sustainable Development:

This study explores the definition of the industrial use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), factors that affect it, and how it influences a firm’s economic performance to understand who drives market access for GMOs and GM products, considering the two premises related to sustainable development: 1) the continuing use of GMOs is one of the most prominent driving forces behind a bio-based economy’s growth, and 2) social system members seek protection from the potential risks of GMOs. The results show compelling evidence of a structural relationship between sociopolitical/economic pressures and economic performance. Additionally, these pressures vary by industry, and activities to secure both social and economic legitimacy due to these pressures have a positive impact on overall firm performance.

Environmental regulations and the export performance of South Korean manufacturing industries: A dynamic panel approach

This paper investigates the relationships among environmental regulation, export performance, and factor intensity, using panel data from South Koreas manufacturing sector (1991–2009). A panel vector autoregression (VAR) model in first differences tests the relationships among the variables, while considering the results of heterogeneous panel unit root and cointegration tests. Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimations help determine dynamic series relationships, and panel-causality tests are run based on the results of GMM estimations. There is evidence of a positive short-run linear causal relation running from environmental regulation to export performance, suggesting that environmental-protection expenditure may constitute a comparative advantage. The short-run linear causal relation from export performance to investment in activities related to environmental protection is insignificant.