The Income Inequality of Wage Earners during 1993-98 in Korea

  • Published : 2005.12.25

Abstract

The income of wage earners and the transition of the inequality of their income from 1993 through 1998 have been analyzed. Korea's economy went through an epochal change since the beginning of the IMF economy and the inequality of income, which is part of the change incurred by this situation, has been studied in this thesis. The 'human capital theory' has been chosen as the basis of study. Also, gender, educational background and age, which are the key variables of the 'human capital theory', have been set as independent variables to compare each variable's influence in the distribution of income. From 1993 to 1998, the effect of gender has shown a fluctuating pattern whereas the effect of education declined slowly and the effect of age rapidly. The accumulative effect of the three variables show a fluctuating pattern, but at a declining mode. Though discrimination against gender, educational background and age, in terms of income, is at a declining mode, it is apparent that it still exists. Especially, discrimination against gender is continuing at a fluctuating pattern.

이 논문은 1993년에서 1998년까지 임금 노동자들의 소득을 분석하였다. 한국의 경제와 그에 따른 노동자들의 소득은 1997년 말에 시작된 경제위기와 IMF 경제하에서 급격한 변화를 겪었다. 소득이 어떻게 변화하였는지 교육, 성, 연령을 중요한 변수로 여기는 인적 자본론을 바탕으로 분석하였다. 1993년에서 1998년까지 소득변화에 미치는 성 효과는 어떤 유형을 찾기 어렵지만 교육 효과는 점차 감소하고 있으며 연령 효과는 급격히 감소하고 있다. 소득변화에 미치는 세 변수의 누적 효과는 증가하다가 감소하고 다시 증가하다가 감소하는 파도와 같은 모양을 보이지만 전체적으로는 점차 감소하고 있다. 이 논문은 패널조사로 구성된 원자료를 사용하였기 때문에 조사가 어려운 저소득층이 점차 줄어드는 제한점이 있다.

Keywords

References

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