• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.5-35
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• 2004

This research is about the change of the occupation and the income of the subscriber of the medical expenditure due to the economic influence on them. The data of this study are based on 4,215 of medical cost payers among respondents of the survey on "Health and Retirement", which was the fourth additional research of Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey. The main findings of this study are as follows: First, the average medical cost is 5.5% of the income. The ratio of the medical cost to an earned income is highly different between low-income group and high income group. For the low income group, the medical cost reaches up to 1/3 of the total family income. That proves that the medical cost si a heavy burden on them. The group with the high medical expenditure seems to be supported by their own private property and other family members whenever it is needed. But it doesn't show the exact sources of the property, which includes the fund from the interests and real estates. On the other hand, only 14.4% of the subscribers changed their job status on the 5th year, and 85.6% of those kept their job status until the 5th year from the 4th year. This shows that the amount of the medical cost could be the important factor for them to change their job; for example, it is crucial whether the medical expenditure is over the average rate or not. Furthermore, the change of the occupation caused by the medical cost has the negative influence on the gross income. It makes the economic conditions of the family get worse. Therefore, the health insurance in Korea is lack of the compensational function, which substitutes the family income reduced by the change of the job status due to the high medical cost.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.103-138
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is: (1) to compare the awareness of inequality concept between Korea and other countries using the survey, (2) to identify whether several inequality measures, which have diverse concepts, are different in empirical aspect, and (3) to suggest the direction for the income distribution policy in Korea. The results of the survey has shown a surprising fact in that the majority of respondents do not agree with the basic assumptions outlined by Gini coefficient, which is the relative inequality measures that had been generally accepted in the past. These results are very similar to those of other countries. However, the major difference with other countries is that the Koreans feel that absolute income inequality-the income gap between the poor and rich, has increased more than relative income inequality, when all incomes of social members are doubled. From the result it is difficult to say that the bi-polarization index is different from Gini coefficient in statistical aspect although it has different theoretical background. The national development strategy should seek to promote "the pro-poor growth" since the change of inequality affect differently on the change of growth and inequality depending on whether the inequality change is relative or absolute.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.91-115
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• 2004

Based on household characteristics, this study analyzes the sources of changes in income class. Using KLI panel data in 1998 and 2001, household equivalent income is calculated and households whose income class is changed are identified. Various household characteristics are examined to understand which characteristics are influential in income class changes. Empirical estimations are carried out by employing an ordered probit model. Region of residence, age of household head, education level of the head, the number of employed family members in 1998, and a change in the number of employed family members are shown to be statistically significant. Calculation of marginal probability based on the ordered probit estimation results show that the probability of upward movement in income class decreases as a household lives in rural areas, while the probability of upward movement increases as the household's head is better educated, the number of employed family members are higher and there is a higher increase in the number of employed family members. Age of the head has mixed results; while the probability of upward movement in income class decreases as the head gets older for the households in middle and high income classes, that probability increases as the head is in the range of the 40s and the 50s in low income class households.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• no.39
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• pp.343-364
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• 2008

Using data from Korea Welfare Panal Study(KWPS), this study examines the relationship between public income transfers and private income transfers in Korea. This research is analyzed by the procedure of OLS regression analysis. The results are as follows. First, the paper shows that public income transfers crowded out the private income transfers. Specially public assistance crowed out the private income transfers. The amount of public income transfers has negative correlation with the amount of private income transfers. The amount of public assistance income has negative correlation with the amount of private income transfers. But social insurance transfers do not have influence on the private income transfer. Second, the private income transfers in Korea are altruistically motivated.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.107-134
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• 2004

This paper attempts to find out the economic roots of the increasing tendency not to choose the science and engineering (S&E) fields in the colleges. The analysis shows that the relative economic position of the S&E graduates measured in terms of employment quality is not significantly different from that of the non-S&E graduates. But the S&E graduates earn relatively low wage and self-employment income. Furthermore, the relative income of the top 5% bracket of the S&E graduates has been declining in the recent five years. The paper concludes that low relative income of the average S&E graduates as well as the increasingly lower relative income of the most able S&E personnel, coupled with the increasing compensating differential required for the S&E jobs, is the main reason for the 'avoidance' phenomenon of the S&E fields.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.65-96
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• 2013

Analysis based on the Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey data reveals that earnings have become less volatile since the exchange rate crisis, while they have become more unequal. The reduction in measured earnings volatility is not explained by changes in the composition of various economic/demographic groups but accounted for by within-group reduction in the measured earnings volatility, which in turn is attributed to the reduced earnings mobility during the sample period. It is also found that measured earnings volatility is countercyclical and earnings changes are symmetric even during recessions.

• 사회경제평론
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.39-69
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• 2018

We measured industrial labor income shares and investigated their determinants. Excluding industries where non-wage earners are not countable, we constructed 22 industry labor income shares from 1993 to 2015. Even though labor income shares in manufacturing industries declined more than in service industries, the economy-wide decline was not driven by structural changes but by within-industry effects. We found that rise in capital-labor ratio, R&D intensity, export dependence, and irregular job ratio contributed to the fall in labor income shares. When we examined manufacturing industries separately, overall results were about the same. But in that case we had additional findings that the rise in import dependence and outsourcing ratio lowered labor's shares, while minimum wage increases raised them.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.3-16
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• 2023

This study investigated how COVID-19 imparted the fashion expenditure of households in Korea. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ratio of fashion expenditure to household income and the ratio of fashion expenditure to household consumption expenditure were estimated using secondary data of national statistics. The household income and expenditure data in Korea were extracted from 2018 to 2021. The household was categorized by generations such as gen Z, gen M, gen X, Baby Boomer, and Silent generation, and the household income status was identified by the income quintile. The outcome revealed that the ratio of fashion usage expenditure to income decreased following COVID-19 equated to before COVID-19 and revealed the significant differences by income quintile. The ratio of fashion consumption to household expenditure significantly differed between the pre-COVID-19 and the post-COVID-19. The difference in the ratio of fashion consumption to household expenditure was important by generations, and it was not affirmed by the income quintile.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.185-212
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• 2012

This study examines changes in income inequality and income mobility associated with a transition to old age. In understanding the dynamics of income distribution over the later life course, it is important to explore the changes in income dispersion and the changes in relative income positions jointly. Data come from Korean Labor and Income Panel Study(KLIPS) 2nd, 7th, 12th wave. The results are as follows. First, a transition to old age is associated with an increase in income inequality. The Gini index of inequality increased steadily over the life course. Second, a transition to old age is associated with substantial income mobility. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between two periods was the lowest at the time of the transition. Increasing income dispersion and significant income mobility can be conceptualized as "income insecurity", since the older population are less likely to cope with income fluctuations. Third, in explaining such changes over time, changes in work life during old age and a subsequent decrease in earnings seem to be the most influential factor.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.61-80
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• 2000

Using raw data of the 'Family income and expenditure survey,' we find that the earning distribution worsened in Korea after the financial crisis; the gap between ninetieth and tenth percentile grew larger after the crisis more than before. Such a phenomenon is apparent within narrowly defined education and labor market experience variables. We found that the increase in earning inequality came from the rapidly increasing return to the components of skill other than the schooling and experience, which is caused by the increasing demand of skill after the crisis. Therefore, we can interpret the growing demand for skill is an important factor leading the increase in the earning inequality after the Crisis. And then, we think that the reason for the increasing demand for skill after the crisis can be found in the changes of the technology, the organizational and personnel practice, the globalization, and the labor market. We can derive policy implications from this : To narrow the inequality we must invest the industrial demand-oriented education.