Regional Income Convergence : Evidence from Panel Unit Root Tests

This paper investigates convergence of eleven regional incomes in Korea by employing a panel unit root test method proposed by Levin and Lin (1993). To test the robustness of the result, we rely on the method developed by Im, Pesaran, and Shin (1996) as well. Applying individual unit root test to income series of each region, we obtained mixed results such that only three out of eleven regional incomes converge. Panel unit root tests, however, reject the null hypothesis that all the Korean regional incomes do not converge. This empirical finding implies that, in a rapidly growing economy such as Korea, at least some regional incomes have tendency to converge to its own equilibrium level. This result is consistent with the prediction of neoclassical growth theory

Finance, Production Efficiency,and Growth : Evidence from the Korean Manufacturing Industries

Numerous studies have focused on the development of financial market as a driving force in economic growth. We find that the provision of financial services enhances production efficiency, and thereby promotes economic growth. Applying the stochastic frontier production function approach to the panel data of the Korean regional manufacturtng industries, we show that an increase in financial services is associated with the reduction in technical inefficiency. It implies that the supply of financial services is essential to economic growth

Foreign ownership and investment: evidence from Korea

This study examines whether an increase in foreign ownership affects investment in Korea. Many studies have shown that in an imperfect financial market, a firm's investment depends on the availability of internal funds. If high foreigners' shareholding is a sign of a firm's good financial position, and if foreign investors demand better corporate governance to protect their investments, then cash-flow sensitivity of investment decreases with the level of foreign ownership. Using data from Korean firms, it is found that cash-flow sensitivity of investment is lower in firms with high foreign ownership than in those with low foreign ownership. This finding is regarded as evidence for a potential benefit of open financial markets.