The length of the peninsula is about 1 0,000 km from north to south, and the shortest distance from east to west is 210.6 km, with a total area of 220,000 square kilometers. The northwest of the peninsula is bordered by the northeast of China, and the Yalu River and Tumen River are the national boundaries of South Korea, China and Russia. The East China Sea in the northeast of the peninsula faces Japan.
Between east longitude 124 * * degrees, the meridian of Korean standard time is 135 degrees, which is 9 hours faster than the world standard time.
70% of the country is mountainous and hilly, with the steepest terrain in the northeast and the endless plain in the southwest, which is also the granary of the Korean Peninsula.
The eastern coastline of the peninsula is flat and deep, the western coastline is tortuous and shallow, and there are many winding bays in the south. There are 3400 large and small islands. The rivers in South Korea are wide and slow, showing continental characteristics. Important rivers include Hanjiang River 565,438+04 km, Jinjiang River 4065,438+0 km, Luodong River 525 km, etc.
Geographical location-Korea is located in the northeast of Asian continent, 33 43 degrees north latitude, 0/24-/0/32 degrees east longitude/the highest mountain-Halla Mountain in Jeju.
Zhiyi Mountain at an altitude of1950m, Xueyue Mountain at an altitude of1915m, and the longest river-Hanjiang River, with a total length of 782km.
Luodong River, 522km, Jinjiang, 396km.
South Korea's trade policy
I. Basic situation of foreign trade
South Korea has implemented the government-led export-oriented economic development strategy, "building the country through trade", made use of the favorable conditions of the international market, overcome the unfavorable factors of poor domestic resources and narrow market, achieved economic take-off and ranked among the emerging industrial countries.
According to the statistics of Korea Trade Association, in June 2005 (1-1), the total import and export volume of Korea's foreign trade was 49,5821billion US dollars, up by 12.2% year-on-year. Among them, the export was US$ 258.9 billion, a year-on-year increase of16.4%; Imports were $23,6921billion, a year-on-year increase of 16.4%. In 2004, South Korea's trade volume ranked 12 in the world, and its exports and imports ranked 12 and 13 respectively.
In recent years, South Korea's main export commodities are electrical and electronic products (semiconductors, household electronic products, computers and peripheral equipment, mobile phones), automobiles, ships, petrochemical products, general machinery, steel, textiles and so on. The main imported commodities are semiconductors, crude oil, agriculture, forestry and aquatic products, electrical and electronic products, machinery and equipment, steel, petrochemical products and other electronic components. South Korea's storage semiconductor chip (DRAM), ultra-thin film liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), flat glass, microwave oven, CDMA mobile phone, optical disk drive, computer monitor, electronic sphygmomanometer, etc. Be among the best in the world market. South Korea's main trading partners are the United States, Japan, the European Union, China, Southeast Asia and Taiwan Province Province.
The average import tariff of Korean industrial products is 8%.
Second, the foreign trade management system
The Foreign Trade Law is the basic law for the Korean government to manage and revitalize foreign trade. Together with the Foreign Exchange Law, the Customs Law, the Law on Improving the Quality of Export Products, various "revitalization laws" to protect and foster specific trade and individual administrative regulations related to trade, it constitutes the basic framework of the Korean foreign trade management system.
According to the Korean government organization law, the Ministry of Industry and Resources is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the overall trade policy; The trade negotiation headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for foreign trade negotiations; Industry management departments such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Construction and Communications, and the Ministry of Information and Communication are responsible for formulating and implementing trade policies for specific commodities within their respective fields; The Trade Committee under the Ministry of Industry and Resources is responsible for the relief of industries damaged by the import of foreign goods. South Korea is free to import and export general commodities except for the quantitative restrictions on the import of some agricultural products (more than 60 kinds) according to the Uruguay Round Agreement. The South Korean government promised to gradually lift the import restrictions on commodities, and implement complete trade liberalization after lifting the import restrictions on the last commodity, rice, in 2004.
Since 1986, Korea's foreign trade industry has successively implemented licensing system, registration system and declaration system. According to Korea's Foreign Trade Law, since June 65438+ 10/day, 2000, the foreign trade industry has been fully liberalized, and any individual and enterprise can engage in foreign trade activities freely. Just for the convenience of customs clearance and customs statistics, we encourage the implementation of the "inherent numbering system of trade industry", that is, encourage enterprises engaged in foreign trade to apply for a fixed number corresponding to the enterprise at the Korea Trade Association and fill it in at the time of customs clearance.
However, the import and export of drugs, pesticides, hazardous chemicals, petroleum, cigarettes, ginseng, designated agricultural and aquatic products, foreign periodicals, movies and other special commodities must be licensed in accordance with relevant laws.
Three. Import and export commodity management
South Korea is free to import goods in principle, but in order to fulfill the relevant international regulations, it is necessary to restrict the import and export of goods, that is, to a minimum. The Ministry of Industry and Resources determines the types, quantities, amounts or trading areas of commodities subject to import and export restrictions, as well as the application procedures for licenses by issuing "import and export announcements", "comprehensive announcements" and "strategic materials import and export announcements". These announcements can be found on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Resources.
Import and export announcements are issued irregularly. The old announcement is always valid until the new announcement is issued. The "Announcement" mainly stipulates the types and quantities of goods that are restricted from import. In principle, goods that are not included in the catalogue of restricted categories in the Announcement can be imported and exported freely.
Comprehensive announcement refers to the announcement issued by the Ministry of Industry and Resources after the restrictions on import and export trade in 53 special laws formulated by relevant Korean departments are integrated, in addition to the provisions of the Foreign Trade Law. The comprehensive announcement mainly restricts import conditions (standards, specifications, etc.). ) and procedures According to the relevant provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the import and export commodities are mainly restricted to commodities that endanger human life, health and safety, pollute the environment or violate international conventions.
According to the implementation order of South Korea's Foreign Trade Law, there are the following categories of goods subject to export examination and approval management: goods related to textile agreements; Self-discipline restricts goods; Commodities specified in intergovernmental agreements; Resources protect commodities. At present, there are no commodities subject to import approval management. The Import and Export Announcement lists the import and export commodities that need to be "recognized" (similar to the "application system", that is, enterprises apply to relevant competent departments according to past performance and demand), and also lists the competent departments (mainly responsible by relevant administrative departments or relevant industry groups). Those engaged in foreign trade may apply according to the prescribed procedures.
In addition, in view of the particularity of agricultural and aquatic products, South Korea implements a special inspection system for imported agricultural products, exported agricultural products and processed agricultural products after import, and some aquatic products require inspection in designated institutions. According to the Special Law on Inspection of Import and Export Agricultural Products, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry entrusts the Central Committee of the Agricultural Association and the Agricultural and Fisheries Circulation Commune to inspect agricultural products. The inspection of aquatic products is carried out by the National Aquatic Products Inspection Institute.
Four. Management of specific trade patterns
South Korea implements trade liberalization, but the Ministry of Industry and Resources conducts special management on the following trade modes:
(1) Transactions that may circumvent import and export restrictions or hinder the implementation of industrial protection policies.
(2) Transactions in which all goods are moved overseas and settled in China, but it may be difficult to recover the funds.
(3) There is no transaction in which funds are settled but goods are moved.
According to the above regulations, consignment trade, leasing trade, entrepot trade, entrusted processing trade, accounting trade (including barter trade and compensation trade), intermediate trade and export without bill of exchange all need to be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) Special management of strategic materials import and export
The Korean government implements special management measures such as export approval system and import license system for some commodities (referred to as "strategic materials") related to international peace and national security. The commodity names, specifications, export restricted areas and procedures for obtaining export approval or import license of strategic materials shall be stipulated and announced by the Ministry of Industry and Resources. The Import and Export Control Committee of Strategic Goods under the Ministry of Industry and Resources is responsible for reviewing various restrictions.
Intransitive verbs maintain the normal import and export trade order
According to the relevant agreements between GATT and WTO, as well as the provisions of relevant Korean laws, when the normal or abnormal import of foreign goods causes damage to domestic related industries, the Korean government can provide relief to related industries by imposing anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties or implementing safeguard measures. Or the requirements of domestic industries, by imposing extremely high adjustment tariffs on the basis of normal tariffs to restrict the import of some commodities, in order to protect the interests of domestic industries; Or implement flexible tariff reduction and exemption on the basis of normal tariffs to encourage the import of raw materials that are in short supply in China, reduce the production costs of enterprises, improve competitiveness and stabilize prices.
The Foreign Trade Law stipulates the restrictions and punishment measures for domestic traders to engage in unfair trade behaviors such as infringement of trademark rights, intellectual property rights, infringement of the interests of others, and violation of rules of origin.
When war, disaster or discrimination against South Korea occurs in a trading partner country, which violates the provisions of international conventions on safeguarding world peace and protecting the ecological environment of animals and plants, the Korean government can take special restrictions on import and export trade with that country.
The Korean government regulates and manages the behavior of traders through various import and export combinations, and maintains the normal trade order.
In addition, the Korean government manages the textile trade according to the WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (MAF).