WTO 補助金協定과 IT 新成長動力 發展戰略

초록

The Korean government is actively promoting an industrial policy, so-called, 'Strategy for Developing New Growth Engines in IT Sector,' which selectively cover nine next-generation industries. The main objective of this initiative is to overcome the growth limits of Korea's overall IT sector by leaps and bounds. The policy is characterized by Korean government's financial support for technology development activities carried out in the targeted industries. This study examines whether this promotion policy conforms, inter alia, to the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, taking note of the possibility to trigger trade disputes. Based upon the results of the study, the policy as such is not a breach of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. Nonetheless, a plausible scenario is that the success of this policy drive could give rise to trade frictions on Korea's compliance with the provisions on actionable subsidies in the Agreement. The Korean government is suggested to pay particular attention to the implementation of the support program, especially, as to the discretion criteria for support, the manner and length of granting public funds to relevant private entities.

키워드