A Study on Trade Competitiveness in High-Tech Industries: Korea, China, and the U.S.

This study measures the trade competitiveness of high-tech industries and analyzes the factors influencing it by using data from Korea, China, and the United States during the period from 2010 to 2020. World market share, the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index, and the trade specialization index are used as proxy variables for trade competitiveness. The analysis results show that GDP and foreign direct investment (FDI) have a significant positive effect on the trade competitiveness of high-tech industries, while the degree of trade openness has a negative impact. Both R&D investment and R&D personnel are found to have significant positive effects on the trade competitiveness of high-tech industries. High-tech industries, which create high added value based on advancements in science and technology and provide a growth engine for the national economy, are core industries that require continuous technological innovation to strengthen their competitiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to expand programs aimed at securing corporate technological innovation, such as increasing R&D investment from both government and private sectors, strengthening industry-academia-research cooperation, and relaxing various regulations.