• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.245-268
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the empirical relation between economic growth and poverty in Korea. Especially, the focus is put on exploring if there are any changes in the relation of economic growth and poverty. From 1982-2004 Korea Urban Household Survey, I constructed the annual data of poverty rate. I also obtained the annual data of the real GDP and the unemployment rate from the National Statistical Office. Using these annal data of the poverty rate and the macroeconomic performance, I analyzed the relation of them. As the result, I found that the macroeconomic growth have played very important role in reducing the poverty rate in Korea. Since 2000, the macroeconomic growth have still worked as an effective instrument for poverty reduction. However, there have been poverty increase that has not been explained by the macroeconomic growth since 2000. Based on these results, this paper suggests that the anti-poverty strategy in Korea should be changed from the old strategy emphasizing only economic growth to the new strategy pursuing both economic growth and social security simultaneously.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.243-265
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• 2009

Using the children supplements of Korea Welfare Panel Study(first wave), this study examined that the correlation and differences between income-poverty(minimum cost of living)and housing- poverty(sub-standard housing) and analyzed the effects of living in sub-standard housing conditions on children's school achievement. The findings of the study are as follows. First, there is low correlation between income-poverty and housing-poverty. Second. there is differences of household characteristics between only housing-poverty household and only income-poverty household or income and housing poverty household. Third, living in sub-standard housing conditions has statistically significant negative effect on school achievement even after controlling for income-poverty, sex, self-esteem, adaptation to school life, family type, mother's education, private education cost, rearing behavior. The findings of this study suggest that more active housing policy approach is needed to support development of children living in sub-standard housing conditions. Based on this research, we present needed policies in the conclusion.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1559-1575
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• 2009

As the basic old-age pension system was enforced in 2008, the base for old-age income security was founded. However, due to the basic old-age pension played a minor role as assistant allowance, it did not reach to sufficient level to cover full income security system. It is estimated that the dependency on private transfer income among the elderly who are difficult to be economically independent is still high. Therefore the poverty rate of the elderly households, who are not economically active or who are not protected by old-age income security system, is more likely to be higher than that of non-elderly households. Based on the assumption that public transfer income system should become a central means of old-age life guarantee, this study examined the poverty mitigation effects among the elderly households by comparing the private transfer income and the public transfer income. For this purpose, we selected single-elderly-households who have been considered the most vulnerable to poverty. We used 2006- 2008 Household Income and Expenditure Survey dataset that contained single-elderly who were older than 65 years old. To understand the conditions of poverty among single-elderly-households and the degree of poverty-reducing effect originated from income transfer system, we compared the poverty rates of total households and the whole elderly households. Next, we analysed the poverty of the single-elderly-households by social demographic factors such as gender, age, and economic activity. Our major findings are as follows: First, the poverty rate of the whole elderly households were not reduced, even though the basic old-age pension and long-term care management system were enforced in 2008. Second, half of the elderly households including single-elderly-households belonged to the absolute poverty line. Relatively higher level of poverty among the single-elderly-households was found especially those who were female, unemployed, low-educated, older, and rural single-elderly-households. Third, the effect of the public transfer income on mitigating the single-elderly-households poverty showed a little progress. However, even greater poverty reducing effect was found by the private transfer income system. Fourth, in a group of the public transfer systems, the public assistance such as supporting living costs contributed more to reduce poverty of the elderly population than the public pension system did.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.760-771
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine whether social support produced any mediating effects when needy single mothers' sense of social exclusion affected their own will to escape poverty. The subjects in this study were 376 poor single mothers who resided in the cities of Busan, Gimhae and Yangsan and who were in their 20s to 60s. The findings of the study were as follows: First, the single mothers who lived in poverty were given less social support when they felt more excluded in the dimensions of health, relationships, production, consumption, political participation and housing. Second, the needy single mothers had a more will to escape poverty when more social support was provided and less will to escape poverty when they felt more excluded in the dimensions of health, relationships, production, consumption, political participation and housing. Third, social support produced mediating effects when social exclusion affected the will to escape poverty. The findings of the study suggest that in order to relieve needy single mothers' sense of social exclusion and bolster their will to escape poverty, formal social support from the nation and local community and informal social support from neighbors, friends and relatives should both be strengthened.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.147-174
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• 2013

Until recently, self-employment workers are often excluded from labor market studies. Most relevant studies has focused on the determinants of entry into self-employment. However, the self-employment is highly exposed to poverty risk although they are working. Despite that, relatively little is known about the economic severity of the self-employed. This study uses data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study to examine the situation of the self-employed's in-work poverty and the determinants of in-work poverty among them. Major findings are as follows. First, self-employed people experience 3.5 times higher in-work poverty risk than employees. Especially, the ratio of own-account self-employed people living below the poverty line is similar with that of even precarious employees. Second, the extent of poverty of self-employment is more serious. Third, the proportion of self-employed among working poor is about 53% although self-employed workers are composed of only about 24% among working people. Fourth, temporary employees and self-employed people are more likely to be poor than full time employees according to logistic regression. It is statistically significant. It implies that it is desirable to regard the self-employed as the policy target group along with temporary employees. Fifth, the ratio of in-work poverty of self-employed aged 40-64 whose education level is low and the self-employed aged 40-64 who work in low-skilled service sector are higher than that of the other group. It implies that measures to alleviate their economic difficulties are urgently needed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.53
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• pp.51-73
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• 2003

In the context of dramatic change in the formation of the Korean family, this study attempts to examine the role of social safety net in family disruption. This study selected 366 individuals who experienced family disruption, mainly divorce and separation, using the 1996 Panel of Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Methodologically, due to the absence of proper longitudinal data in korea for the purpose of this study, the study analyzed the SIPP and attempted to provide policy implications for Korea. Findings of the current study confirmed that women with children experienced severe economic decline upon family disruption. American social safety net was insufficient to protect mother with children from poverty. Findings imply that Korea needs to develop public policies to protect mother-only-families, who experienced family disruption, from poverty. Expanding and reforming the eligibility of public assistance can be an important policy recommendation. A strong guideline for awarding child support, an active labor market policy, and EITC may have a positive effect on increasing the income of mother-only-families.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.333-354
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• 2009

This study decomposes the gender differences on poverty to explain the causes of the poverty gap between male- and female-headed households. In order to do this, we start from examining the extent of the poverty gap between maleand female-headed families and then conduct decomposition of poverty differences by gender using the Oaxaca method. This paper uses the (Urban) Family Budget Survey data from 1982 to 2008 and measures poverty using 50% of the median income poverty line. Major findings of this study are as follows: First, in 2008, the coefficient effect explains 70% or more of the total gender-poverty gap. Second, the trend of gender-poverty gap in the period of 1982~2008 shows that the poverty gap by gender increased in the 1980s', decreased in the 1990s', and a re-increased in 2000s'. Third, comparing the decomposition results in 1982, 1989, 1999, 2008, we found that the share of characteristic effect of the total gender poverty gap has been increased gradually over time. It means the characteristics of the female-headed households have become worse than those of the male-headed households in urban working families. At the same time, the still large coefficient effect suggests that the problems such as the discrimination against matriarchs or the lack of social support for them still play important roles among urban working families in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.313-339
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to analysis empirically the socio-structural causes of working poor. This study used raw data of of Korea National Statistical Office from 1982 to 2004, and put in operation time series multiple regression analysis to use socio-economic factors of macro-economy environment, labor market, distribution system. Contrary to assertion of growth-concentrated people, economic growth rate has had significantly positive effect on the change of working poor size. In the growth period there has been trickle down effect of economic growth, but in the post-Fordism period there has not been valid circular relation. Recent introduction of the U. S. type capitalism resulted in negative phenomenon like aggravation of income distribution, deterioration of employment quality, enlargement of working poor. And there rise a question on socio-economic durability due to de-compensation on intra-institution. It is necessary to grope transition to the high road social market model - that is stable and sustainable - correspond to Korea that is stable and sustainable.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.54
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• pp.113-144
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children's social capital(both within and outside the family) and happiness would vary depending on poverty, as well as the effects of poverty on the happiness of children through their social capital. The 2013 Korea Youth General Survey data were utilized. We analyzed data from 766 children between the ages of 9 and 12, as well as their parents. Data were examined using structural equation modeling analysis. The bootstrapping method was used to test the mediating effects of social capital. The results showed that poor children had lower levels of social capital(both within and outside the family) and happiness than non-poor children. Second, poverty had indirect effects one happiness. In particular, poverty affected children's happiness through their social capital obtained both from within and outside the families. The mediating effects were statistically significant. Based on the results, we suggested policy and practice implications, including various interventions for children in poverty that may improve their social capital, which influences children's happiness.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.237-253
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative deprivation of the households in poverty, comparing with the households in non-poverty, and to find out the characteristics of household groups by the level of relative deprivation. The data for this study was from the 6th Korea Welfare Panel Survey(KOWEPS), consisting of total 5,552 households. The results are as follows: There were statistically significant differences in the objective cost of living, the subjective minimum cost of living, and the subjective adequate cost of living between households in poverty and households in non-poverty. There was statistically significant difference in the relative deprivation between households in poverty and households in non-poverty. Poverty was the factor for the relative deprivation of households.