• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 2016

This study analyses labor transition of middle-aged and elderly in Korea utilizing Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA). Then it estimates the effects of perceived job stability for the middle-aged and elderly on poverty exit based on the age group simulation. The outcomes suggest that mid-50s and over are highly vulnerable to early retirement and they suffer from unstable employment and low possibility of re-employment. The logit analysis that simulates the effects of perceived job stability on poverty exit shows that mid-50s are more likely to get off the poverty than 65 and over when they have stable jobs. These implies that labor market policies should be designed in a tailor-made manner in consideration of the age group and its characteristics. This study also suggests the introduction of progressive labor policy measures that extends retirement age, that provides with job opportunities to middle-age and elderly, and that links employment and welfare under the umbrella of income security plan for the middle-aged and elderly.

• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.247-291
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• 2018

This study investigates the employment structure and the social safety net experience of the subcontracting cleaning workers in Korea, who have been main targets of the labor outsourcing despite the necessity and permanence of their labour. This study specifically focuses on the fact that these subcontracting cleaning workers are mostly female and in their old age, and analyzes how the combination of their age, gender, and employment structure leads to the (mis)match with the Korean social security system. Case study with in-dept interview method has been conducted to the old-aged female subcontracting cleaning workers in Korea. The result of this study is as follows. It was the income insecurity that led them to (re)enter the labour market, and the cleaning work was the almost the only wage work they could do considering their age and gender. Cleaning workers are mostly employed in the subcontracting company, and thus their labour contracts depend on the business contract period between the original and subcontracting company. Consequently, their employment relationship is mostly insecure unless they are guaranteed employment succession through the collective agreement of trade union. Moreover, it has been discovered that the employment insecurity due to the indirect employment relationship led to the poor labour conditions, low wage, and the exclusion from the social safety net.

• Korean Public Health Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.15-24
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• 2018

Objective : This study explores whether and how the amount of smoking differs by economic status and perception among the men in working age. Methods : The study utilized the 4th wave of KoWEPS containing the items on perception of economic conditions. Analysis was conducted on ever-married men aged 30-54, who have capacity to work. It used 2 stage regression model methods to examine the mediation effect of perception on economic status. Results : The results shows that the negative perception on economic status has a positive effect on smoking. Disposable income affects smoking only through the perception of economic status. Employment status exerts both direct and indirect effect on smoking. Conclusions : These findings imply that less privileged economic status is related to smoking through anxiety or stress for the negative perception on it.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.146-153
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to explore food-related lifestyle segments of the older consumers, to identify its socio-demographic characteristics, and to investigate the differences in variables regarding health beliefs. A survey was conducted of adults 55 years of age and older living in Seoul, South Korea from March 28 to April 10, 2007. Out of the 500 distributed questionnaires, 361 were retained for final analysis: a response rate of 72.2%. As a result of cluster analysis, five consumer segments were identified; health-managing group, diet-unconcerned group, convenience-oriented group, taste-oriented group, unpracticed group. Significant differences were found among the five segments in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and variables regarding health beliefs (i.e., perceived self-efficacy, perceived barriers, perceived benefits). In the health-managing group and taste-oriented group, mean scores of perceived self-efficacy (p<0.001) and perceived benefits (p<0.001) were significantly higher than other groups. However, in the diet-unconcerned group and convenience-oriented group, the mean scores of perceived barriers (p<0.01) were significantly high. This study shows that foodservice operators targeting the older consumers should consider characteristics of each segment to develop a customized program.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1-34
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• 2010

We conduct a comprehensive risk analysis of household debt in Korea for the first time using the whole sample credit bureau (CB) data of 2.2 million individual debtors. After analysing debt service capacity profiles of debtor groups classified by the borrower characteristics such as income, age, occupation, credit scoring, and the type of creditor business companies, we investigate the impact of interest rate and income changes on debt service-to-income ratios (DTIs) and default rates of respective debtor groups. Empirical results indicate that debt service burdens are relatively high for low income wage earners, high income self-employed, low income capital and card loan holders, and high income mutual savings loan holders. We also find that debtors from multiple financial companies are particularly weak in their debt service capacity. The scenario analysis indicates that financial companies, with the current level of capital buffers, may be able to absorb negative consequences arising from the increase in DTIs and loan default rates if the interest rate and income changes remain modest. However, the negative consequences may fall disproportionately on non-bank financial companies such as capital, credit card, and mutual savings banks, whose debtors' DTIs are already high. We also find that the refinancing risk of household debt is relatively high in Korea as more than half of household mortgage debts are bullet loans. As the DTIs of mortgage loan holders are already high, under the current DTI regulation, mortgage loans may not be readily refinanced especially when the interest rate rises. Disruptions in mortgage loan refinancing may put downward pressure on housing prices, which may in turn magnify refinancing risk under the current loan-to-value (LTV) regulation. Overall our analysis suggests that, for more effective monitoring of household debt risk, it is necessary to combine existing surveillance schemes based on macro aggregate indicators with more comprehensive and detailed risk analyses based on micro individual data.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• no.36
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• pp.55-80
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• 2008

Research on the welfare state or income inequality has been concerned with variations in inequality between societies or families. These studies tend to view the family as a unit of shared interests where incomes are pooled and distributed equally. This study makes a theoretical and empirical case for why it is important to look at economic dependency within the family in comparative welfare state research. Using the Luxembourg Income Study data this study examined married women's dependency on their husbands' earnings in 16 western industrialized countries. The constructed measure for married women's level of economic dependency followed the procedure of Sørensen & McLanahan(1987), which stated : "her dependency is measured by the extent to which a woman's standard of living(as determined by her share of income) is derived from a transfer from her husband." The finding suggested that married women's economic dependence was lowest in Scandinavian countries. On the contrary, in Southern Europe countries most married women were dependent on husbands' earnings. In Netherlands, Austria, Germany where the share of part-time work among married women was high, married women's economic dependence was also high. This showed the women's labor force participation did not mean that the majority of couples were equal with respect to earnings, nor that a major shift in the sexual division of labour has taken place. This paper analysed the causal relationship between the married women's economic independence and the welfare state by using Ragin(2000)'s Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. This analysis considered the various conditions of the welfare state : namely, left power, union mobilization density, women's mobilization, public service sector employment and generous support on the family. The result showed that powerful union, high level of women's mobilization and the generous support on the family were necessary conditions for 'relatively high' level of married women's economic independence.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.37-44
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• 2012

In this paper, we investigate several factors that affect the locational decision of discount stores by using previous studies on the marketing area and the location of commercial facilities. We selected 21 primary variables that are expected to influence the decision of store location and, by factor analysis, grouped them into five underlying factors. Among these, the demographic factor, which shows the potential purchasing power level, had the greatest impact on the locational decision for the store. However, we found individual stores positioned according to unique locational characteristics in addition to the demographic factor. It means that we have to additionally consider if the vicinity of the market is based on any physical properties. Many previous studies proposed four decision factors for store location: the economic factor, the demographic factor, the land utilization factor, and traffic factor. However, the fivefold factors-our distinctive contribution-are more concrete and persuasive according to Korean reality. We show that location preference is based on the following criteria: (1) the area is densely populated, (2) houses stand close together, (3) residents have a high income level, (4) road traffic is developed and easy to access, and (5) public transportation is well developed. The demographic factor has the greatest impact on the location of a discount store. The number of households has a greater relevance to the demographic factor than does the individual consumer. Second, discount stores relatively prefer places where houses are located close together because such places offer easy access to the market. Third, a place whose residents have a high income level will be preferred, with its large cars and excellent traffic conditions. Fourth, a location would be highly rated if the roads around commercial facilities are well developed and their accessibility is good. Finally, discount stores must be located close to bus stops because female consumers, including housewives-the most important customers-evaluate stores based on distance. In this research, the variable of consumer attitude and preference was excluded, and the location factors of discount stores were analyzed according to a microscopic view through physical spatial data. In the future, the opening of new discount stores based on the five factors indicated above will require a comparatively shorter time from the first project feasibility analysis. In addition, the result of our study can be applied to the field of public policy for constructing and attracting large-scale distribution facilities.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.120-140
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate whether adherence to the Korea Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) was associated with metabolic syndrome and risk markers. Methods: The participants included 8,345 adults, aged 20-59 years, who took part in the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The data were analyzed using a complex-sample t-test, the Rao Scott χ²-test, and logistic regression analysis on the SPSS v. 26.0 software. The participants were divided into four groups by quartiles of KHEI scores. Results: The average KHEI score was 61.06 points out of 100, and the women's score (62.50 points) was significantly higher than that of men (59.63 points). The KHEI quartiles status showed significant differences by age (p < 0.001), household income (p < 0.001), smoking status (p < 0.001), and food security. Specifically, the KHEI quartiles in the men showed significant differences in education (p < 0.001) and economic activity (p < 0.001) whereas those of women showed significant differences in alcohol-consumption (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.01) and eating-out (p < 0.001). As the KHEI scores increased, the proportion of subjects with an energy intake below the estimated energy requirement (EER) was lower, and significantly better levels of intake were observed for carbohydrate, protein, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, and niacin. The incidence of the metabolic syndrome risk factors, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia for men and hypertension, and hyperglycemia for women showed significant differences. The KHEI scores were inversely associated with abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Based on these results, we conclude that higher adherence to the KHEI was associated with lower metabolic syndrome risk factors and incidence of the metabolic syndrome.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.101-127
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• 2010

The purpose of the research is to tackle proximity effects (PEs) when nonmarket valuation method CVM is applied to environmental goods such as tidal flats. 1,000 households are surveyed in the ratio of national household for the research. The sample are reclassified into five areas by 30-minute distance. Log-linear are used to analysis PEs in the research. On conclusion log-linear model regarding income effects proves that PEs are apparently represented in NMVMs(${\theta}_1$ >0. ${\theta}_2$ >0 and $dum1{\neq}0$, $dum2{\neq}0$, $dum3{\neq}0$, $dum4{\neq}0$) as a result of a 5 per cent significant level of t -test and F-test, finally rejecting the null hypothesis. In addition, WTP of area I respondents shows 26 per cent more then that of area V respondents, which is from \87,969 to \64,866 in the open-ended format. Finally, the research proves that the PEs in CVM are evidently represented with the econometric model, hence the PEs have to be embedded into the questionnaire of non-market valuation methods with the environmental goods to reduce the underestimation and improve the estimation accuracy.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.449-465
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• 2017

Small and medium-sized company workers are ill-prepared for retirement due to low wages and poor working conditions, as result, are likely to get into poverty in retirement. The purpose of this study is to conduct a case study on the current status of financial and non-financial retirement preparation of the small and medium-sized company workers. The main findings are as follows. First, the small and medium-sized company workers show the anxiety about retirement. Many pre-retirees worry that their retirement savings may not generate enough income in retirement, and the level of benefits paid in public pension is inadequate. Second, they are preparing for retirement in the areas of finance, health, working after retirement and social activity. Third, they are realistic and practical in retirement decisions makings. they are considering household budget downsizing, cutting education costs, the low-waged job choice and cash flow preference in retirement. The safety and reality in preparation for retirement are top considerations. In conclusion, this case study shows that pre-retirees of small and medium-sized companies are seeking diverse retirement solutions. We need to design integrated and practical retirement planning programs to support their specific retirement needs.