When culture meets trade: Screen quota in Korea

Abstract

This paper probes into what goes behind the publicly‐stated dichotomy of “cultural diversity” versus “pro‐competition” in the domestic battle of screen quota. Using a multi‐stakeholder model, the paper analyzes who the key players are, what interests they represent, and how much influence they wield to force the outcome to their preference. The forecasted domestic equilibrium is biased toward the status quo or the long‐term phase out, which is apparently unacceptable to the U.S. in the negotiations of the bilateral investment treaty (BIT). Consequently, the stalemate of the BIT negotiations is only natural and reasonable. The forecasting model used in this paper offers several important directions and guidelines for such strategy as the timing of decision‐making, coalition building and issue linkage.