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This paper delves into the topic of trade interdependencies, which represent a crucial aspect of economic security policy. The increasing influence of China, coupled with its aspirations for global dominance, in addition to the challenge posed to the established liberal world order and the distribution of power, prompts us to explore the feasibility of utilising existing relationships as a means of economic coercion. Therefore, the research methodology employed in this study integrates complexities inherent in the realm of international political economy of trade and international economics. The study focuses on the trade relations of the Visegrád Group, drawing on data from the OECD, the International Trade Centre, and Eurostat, with a specific emphasis on trade in value added and gross trade, while examining the repercussions of Chinese imports. The findings suggest a modest yet rising dependence of V4 economies on China, particularly evident in the machinery, electrical, and electronics industries, which could potentially disrupt supply chains within the region and with Germany, their primary trade partner. This underscores the necessity for devising strategies at the European Union level and within the Visegrád Group to accurately pinpoint vulnerabilities and diversify existing trade ties.

The contemporary economic security of states depends more and more heavily on technological factors. The paper provides a comparative study covering the trade of the Visegrád Group with a primary purpose to explore directions of technological change, revealed in the structure of their exports, their likely causes, and consequences. The research problem was positioned in an interdisciplinary methodological perspective, merging critical security studies, international political economy, international economics, and new public governance. The obtained results prove characteristics of V4 economies typical of dependent capitalism and confirm the structural challenge of foreign technological guidance.

Zasadniczym celem artykułu jest określenie najważniejszych kierunków zmian relatywnych przewag w handlu oraz wymiany wewnątrzgałęziowej Polski i Czech z Niemcami w grupie części i akcesoriów samochodowych. Autor bada te kwestie, wykorzystując dane handlowe z lat 2001–2015 na sześciocyfrowym poziomie dezagregacji, i dokonuje interpretacji otrzymanych wyników w paradygmacie pułapki średniego dochodu. Uwzględniając kontekst postępującej fragmentaryzacji korporacyjnych łańcuchów wartości, zasadniczym wyzwaniem dla Polski i Czech jest dywersyfikacja struktury przedmiotowej i geograficznej własnego eksportu. Dominująca pozycja sektora motoryzacyjnego, w tym produkcja części i akcesoriów samochodowych, pogłębia technologiczną zależność i nie pozwala zwiększać wartości dodanej wytwarzanej w kraju.

This paper investigates selected short- and mid-term effects in trade in goods between the Visegrad countries (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic) and the Republic of Korea under the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea. This Agreement is described in the "Trade for All" (2015: 9) strategy as the most ambitious trade deal ever implemented by the EU. The primary purpose of our analysis is to identify, compare, and evaluate the evolution of the technological sophistication of bilateral exports and imports. Another dimension of the paper concentrates on the developments within intra-industry trade. Moreover, these objectives are approached taking into account the context of the South Korean direct investment inflow to the V4. The evaluation of technological sophistication is based on UNCTAD's methodology, while the intensity of intra-industry trade is measured by the GL-index and identification of its subcategories (horizontal and vertical trade). The analysis covers the timespan 2001-2015. The novelty of the paper lies in the fact that the study of South Korean-V4 trade relations has not so far been carried out from this perspective. Thus this paper investigates interesting phenomena identified in the trade between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and V4 economies. The main findings imply an impact of South Korean direct investments on trade. This is represented by the trade deficit of the V4 with ROK and the structure of bilateral trade in terms of its technological sophistication. South Korean investments might also have had positive consequences for the evolution of IIT, particularly in the machinery sector. The political interpretation indicates that they may strengthen common threats associated with the middle-income trap, particularly the technological gap and the emphasis placed on lower costs of production.

This paper investigates selected short- and mid-term effects in trade in goods between the Visegrad countries (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic) and the Republic of Korea under the framework of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea. This Agreement is described in the "Trade for All" (2015: 9) strategy as the most ambitious trade deal ever implemented by the EU. The primary purpose of our analysis is to identify, compare, and evaluate the evolution of the technological sophistication of bilateral exports and imports. Another dimension of the paper concentrates on the developments within intra-industry trade. Moreover, these objectives are approached taking into account the context of the South Korean direct investment inflow to the V4. The evaluation of technological sophistication is based on UNCTAD's methodology, while the intensity of intra-industry trade is measured by the GL-index and identification of its subcategories (horizontal and vertical trade). The analysis covers the timespan 2001–2015. The novelty of the paper lies in the fact that the study of South Korean-V4 trade relations has not so far been carried out from this perspective. Thus this paper investigates interesting phenomena identified in the trade between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and V4 economies. The main findings imply an impact of South Korean direct investments on trade. This is represented by the trade deficit of the V4 with ROK and the structure of bilateral trade in terms of its technological sophistication. South Korean investments might also have had positive consequences for the evolution of IIT, particularly in the machinery sector. The political interpretation indicates that they may strengthen common threats associated with the middle-income trap, particularly the technological gap and the emphasis placed on lower costs of production. ; Artykuł poświęcony jest zbadaniu krótko‑ i średniookresowych efektów w handlu towarowym między krajami Grupy Wyszehradzkiej (V4: Republika Czeska, Węgry, Polska, Słowacja) a Republiką Korei (Koreą Południową) w ramach umowy o wolnym handlu między Unią Europejską a Republiką Korei. W strategii "Trade for All" to porozumienie określono mianem najambitniejszej umowy handlowej kiedykolwiek zawartej i wdrożonej przez UE. Głównym celem analizy jest zidentyfikowanie, porównanie oraz ocena zachodzących zmian w zaawansowaniu technologicznym dwustronnych strumieni eksportu i importu oraz w obrębie struktury handlu wewnątrzgałęziowego. Szerszym kontekstem badań jest ponadto napływ koreańskich inwestycji zagranicznych do krajów V4. Analiza technologicznego zaawansowania oparta jest na podejściu metodologicznym Konferencji Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Handlu i Rozwoju, podczas gdy intensywność wymiany wewnątrzgałęziowej jest mierzona indeksem Grubela‑Lloyda wraz z określeniem jej kategorii składowych (handlu poziomego i pionowego). Badaniem objęto okres 2001–2015. Nowatorskość opracowania wynika z faktu, że jak dotąd badania nad stosunkami handlowymi między Koreą Południową a krajami V4 nie zostały przeprowadzone w ten sposób. Wnioski sugerują wpływ południowokoreańskich inwestycji bezpośrednich na handel, co znajduje swoje odzwierciedlenie w deficycie handlowym oraz strukturze dwustronnej wymiany w ujęciu jej zaawansowania technologicznego. Inwestycje te mogły mieć także pozytywne skutki dla ewolucji wymiany wewnątrzgałęziowej, zwłaszcza w obrębie przemysłu maszynowego. Polityczna interpretacja wskazuje, że mogą one wzmacniać zagrożenia typowe dla pułapki średniego dochodu, zwłaszcza lukę technologiczną oraz nacisk na niskie koszty produkcji.

The paper aims at analysing the characteristics of the Polish-Scandinavian trade and at evaluating prospects of its further development in the context of the growing diversification of Polish exporting markets. The motivation behind this issue is rooted in the high dependence of the Polish economy on the German market. This brings about a threat to economic security through a specific technological dependence, which may result in a lot of challenges characteristic for the middle-income trap. This problem can be explained by the thesis of the blight of German proximity. The features of intensive trade relations, mostly in the motor vehicle industry and machinery (to some extent also in the electronic and electrical sector), require finding convenient locations for subsidiaries and further suppliers within corporate added-value chains. It should help exploiting current cost and effciency advantages of host economies and thus block the development of potential innovative alternatives induced by the too weak domestic support. For this reason, it is justified to intensify trade relations with other countries whose markets may be attractive for Polish exporters. They should also have competencies and advantages which are insufficient in the Polish economy. Hence, this transfer of knowledge through the trade cooperation (the concept of learning by exporting) may have an impact on the national innovation system. Choosing Scandinavian countries is coherent with the attempts to diversify the structure of exporting markets and is one of the critical dimensions of enhanced cooperation in the region of the Baltic Sea. The research on the trade relations covers the period 2001-2015 together with the original insight into the prospects for their further development. For this purpose, the trade data of the International Trade Centre were used. Their disaggregation (2-, 4- and 6-digit) within the Harmonised System made possible the identification of the most important sectors, product clusters and even specific commodities which may be Polish exporting hits. Another dimension of the analysis covers the technological intensity of the Polish exports and imports with Scandinavian countries, the structure of Polish trade balance and the intensity of the intra-industry trade (Grubel-Lloyd index) together with its subcategories (horizontal, vertical-low quality, vertical-high quality) in the chapters with the highest share in bilateral trade.

Abstract
The contemporary division of production in the global economy poses challenges typical for dependent market economies of the Visegrád countries (V4: Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). This comparative study explores whether the foreign trade of V4 with Germany contributes to their structural change. The analysis seeks to determine the long-term impact of specific intra-industry trade variables on the economic complexity, examined at different levels of technological sophistication. Our findings show that as a result of the characteristics of the trade dynamics, the progress of V4 structural change remains not as comprehensive as expected. As a result, it is critically important to provide incentives aimed at strengthening the geographical diversification of their exports and upgrade their position within the global value chains.

This article embarks on a fresh and pragmatic look at German reparations for Poland. The analysis is based on a historical, neo-institutional and rational theory approach. It covers past and current experiences of the 'reparations debate'. Then, in the context of Europeanisation processes and the Polish middle-income trap, the authors explain their original concept on how to identify areas of possible technological cooperation and provide recommendations. This strategic attempt to share modernity may enhance Polish economic development and enter the social and political debate as an effective means of Polish-German reconciliation.