• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.143-157
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, it shows how to calculate the size of nonregular workers in Korea using the supplemental surveys to the Economically Active Population Surveys. Second, it decomposes the difference in the share of nonregular workers between 2005 and 2013 by a Oaxaca-type method.. The obtained results indicate that the differences in coefficients rather than the differences in characteristics are mainly responsible for the decline in the share of nonregular workers. This implies that a worker with the same characteristics is more likely to be a regular worker in 2013 than in 2005. This tendency may come from the changes in workers's as well as firms' employment practices. Also, it is suspected that the Nonregular Worker Act enacted in 2007 may have contributed to the decrease in the share of nonregular workers.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.89-127
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• 2010

This paper explores the causes and solutions of the problem that the official unemployment rate does not adequately represent the reality of the employment situation in Korea. First, compared to ILO's international standards, there are several differences in the measurement of unemployment in Korea, for example, the treatment of unpaid family workers working less than 18 hours per week, the classification of persons who are waiting for a new job or temporarily laid-off, and the criteria of job search activities. The questionnaire structure of the Labor Force Survey in Korea also misleads the judgment of economic activity state. Comparing the responses of the basic survey to those of the supplementing survey, approximately 90% of the responses show discrepancies and this indicates the possibility of misclassification. Next, this paper suggests the extended unemployment indicators as alternative, based on the current survey. The extended unemployment indicators support the presence of significant amounts of hidden unemployed and underemployed. And, it is found that the analyses using those indicators are very useful for the investigation of many aspects of employment dynamics.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.39-81
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• 2018

This study focuses on whether non-standard workers are matched by voluntary contract with employers in the labor market and analyzes the factors of involuntary choice of non-standard employees that are diverse by firm size. For the analysis I consider non-standard employees as either voluntary or involuntary according to the push/pull theory based on labor mobility. The Economic Activity Census Added Survey data 2016 show that the proportion of involuntary non-standard employees is greater than voluntary ones as the firm size is smaller. As a result of the analysis, involuntary non-standard employees are not significantly discriminated from voluntary non-standard employees in large firms. However, in small and medium-sized firms and micro small-sized firms, workers are more likely to be involuntarily non-standard if they are older or less educated. In addition, they are more likely to be employed involuntarily in micro small-sized firms than in small and medium-sized firms. Therefore, we should take into account the mismatching problems of compensation, specialty, and career in order to establish policies on non-standard workers. In addition to the financial support for small and medium-sized and micro small-sized firms, it is necessary to provide workers with job information that matches their job skills and career experiences.