A Comparative Study on the Micro-enterprise Protection Systems between Korea and the United States

The purpose of this study is to look into the conflicting parts of the KORUS FTA and the small enterprise protection system and seek out practical measures to protect small and medium enterprises. To achieve this purpose, this study investigated the conflicting relationship between the KORUS FTA and the letter of the law in the small and medium enterprise protection system. Considering that hypermarkets or Super-supermarkets (SSM) are in most serious situation, the scope of study was limited to Article 12 - Service Area of the KORUS FTA. Thus, the study investigated the relationship between the small and medium enterprise protection system and Article 12.2(National Treatment), 12.4(Access to Market) and 12.7(Domestic Regulations) of KOR-US FTA, which propose possibility of conflict. Meanwhile, letters of the KORUS FTA, which can conflict with the small and medium enterprise protection system, were presented by classifying the pessimistic and optimistic ones.