This study provides an appropriate model and practical road map regarding economic cooperation in the East Asian area, specifically Korea, China and Japan. Because China has an important role in Northeast Asia economic cooperation, it must be included in discussions of East Asian economic cooperation.

The main topics examined in this research are as follows:

In Chapter II, we first examine the phase of the East Asian/Northeast Asian economic bloc under the triangular position of the international economy that has been formed according to the spread of globalization and regionalism, which are perhaps the most important trends of 21st century.

Today, the international economy can be said to be composed of three sets of economic regions, the EU, NAFTA and East Asia. Although the EU and NAFTA accomplished economic integration to a high degree, the Northeast Asian economic cooperation has not matched the trend of the international economy. However, the Northeast Asia area has been acknowledged as a very dynamic growth having recorded high economic growth rates for the past 20 to 30 years, and presently constitutes about 20% of world economy. Moreover, the importance of the Northeast Asia economy in the world economy is forecasted to increase continuously corresponding to economic growth in the Northeast Asia countries including China, in spite the relative slowdown of the Japanese economy that has been experiencing long-term economy stagnation since the 1990s. The necessity of economic cooperation in East Asian countries remains an urgent agenda.

In Chapter III, we examine the East Asian economy and economic relations of South Korea, China and Japan.

The dynamics of the East Asian economy can be characterized by its high economic growth rate, solidified position in the world export market, an important position in investment markets, enlargement of East Asian internal trade and formation of new structure of international division of labor, richer foreign exchange reserves, and so on. The economical relation among Korea, China and Japan representing the economic dynamism of the region can be further strengthened through economic cooperation and economic integration in this area.

In Chapter IV, we examine the concept and boundaries, and geopolitical and geo-economical position of Northeast Asian economic bloc composed of Korea, China and Japan, as well as including Mongolia, Russia and North Korea. Notwithstanding the variance in material reserves, capital, technology, human capital, and differences in the stages of development, we suggest probable economic profits from the Northeast economic cooperation based on potential, economically complementary position and development strategies of the Northeastern Chinese economy.

Based on the above chapters, in Chapter V, we propose the models of ?forest of cultural environment? and ?tree with common roots? as a desirable way of policy design and execution for Northeast Asian economic cooperation. Considering the specialty of political and economical phases, the Northeast Asian economic cooperation cannot utilize the experience of economic integration of the EU and NAFTA because of situational and historical difference between these regions. Thus economic cooperation and integration should proceed along a third way, by creating a new model that coincides in the specialty of this area.

The last Chapter VI concerns the extension of the Northeast Asian economic cooperation. As one part of the East Asian economic bloc, the Northeast Asian economic cooperation ultimately must be extended into the East Asian economic cooperation through 10+1 FTA, Korea-Japan FTA, Korea-China FTA or Korea-China-Japan FTA.