International Comparison between Korea and Other Countries, in Terms of Retail Regulations

Purpose – This research is to provide new insights for policy makers in Korea, comparing South Korea and foreign countries such as Japan, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the forth, in terms of the effects of retail regulations on a retail trade industry. Research design, data, and methodology – After introduction, the research begins with literature review on the background why advanced countries have introduced retail legislations, then, will present their effects. The fourth section will compare the South Korea with the above foreign countries. Finally, the authors will draw conclusions and mention not only research limitations but also future research directions. Results – Based on the previous research, the authors compared Korea and advanced countries, in terms of how retail regulations influence retail employment, retail productivity, retail price, and the protection of independent retailers. The authors found that industrialized countries have made a significant effort to protect small shops for social stability with many different regulations and/or budget. With regard to results, however, the degree of its achievement is lower than expected. Conclusions – In order to protect small- and medium-sized retailers efficiently and effectively, policy makers need to develop better sophisticated retail regulations than those of advanced countries.