• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.25-58
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• 2015

This paper compares income and consumption inequalities in Korea and applies the permanent income hypothesis to interpret the linkage between the two inequalities. Income inequality has been increasing since 1990 while consumption inequality had been decreasing until the early 2000s when the two inequalities started to co-move. Permanent income hypothesis explains reasonably well the consumption pattern in the recent period, which reflects the increased access to asset markets by the Korean households. Consequently, the co-movement of income and consumption inequalities in the recent period implies that inequality in permanent income components are fluctuating.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.77-102
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• 2007

This paper compares income and consumption for their relative effectiveness in measuring inequality. Although income inequality has received more attention in the literature, the permanent income hypothesis links consumption to welfare more directly than income. To the extent economic agents smooth their consumptions, consumption inequality is a better indicator for an economy's welfare inequality, and it is especially so when income volatility is high. The empirical analysis in this paper indicates that the income and consumption patterns among the Korean wage/salary worker households are quite consistent with the permanent income hypothesis. Further, it is found that consumption inequality tends to be lower than income inequality, and more importantly, that the two inequalities do not always vary in the same direction. These results call for stronger emphasis on consumption inequality in inequality literature.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.591-600
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• 2016

This paper, in the situation of deepening poverty and worsening income inequality, aims to find the impact on income inequality of main income sources such as public income, market income and family income in the elderly and propose polices for weakening the income inequality in the elderly. Main results are as follows. First, Gini coefficients of each income sources in the elderly are total income's 0.4801, public income's 0.4071, market income's 0.6736 and family income's 0.1855. Income inequality in the elderly population is serious in the total income, public income and market income areas. Second, after excepting for public income in total income, Gini coefficient is 0.4864. after excepting for market income in total income, Gini coefficient is 0.3609. And after excepting for family income in total income, Gini coefficient is 0.5784. When market and public income are excepted from total income, Gini coefficient alleviate. Therefore, market income and public income are the major causes of income inequality in the elderly. But, family income alleviate the income inequality in the elderly. In order to alleviating the income inequality of the elderly, we must try to increasing the market income. For example, government must to supply job opportunities for the elderly of low-income.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.391-415
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to examine the trends of income inequality by gender since 1997 economic crisis and to investigate what is the most influential factor on these changes for males and females. Data used for this study are nine waves of Korean Labor and Income Panel Study(KLIPS). Income inequality is measured by the Gini coefficient and the mean logarithmic deviation(MLD) and the MLDs are decomposed into three components to quantify within- and between-group inequalities. The results show that the extent of income inequality is greater for women during the whole period and is fluctuated more widely. Women's income inequality is mainly affected by the family-related variables, such as age and marital status, while men's inequality is primarily determined by the labor market factors, such as employment status, industrial types and occupation status. These results imply that gender-sensetive welfare policies need to be implemented and that it is necessary to assist the poor women and men through the benefits from the income assistance programs and labor market programs.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1445-1461
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• 2009

The primary purpose of this study is to find policy implications by examining the trends in income inequality of the Korean aged and factors contributing to these. For analysis, this study used the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 9th wave of 'Korean Labour and Income Panel Study'. The findings are as follows. First, total income inequality of the elderly rose greatly after 1998 and is decreasing after 2001. Secondly, the Gini coefficient decomposition by income sources shows that earned income was the factor most responsible for the income inequality of the elderly. But its influences of the elderly income inequality is gradually decreasing during analysing periods. Third, assets income and public pensions have a great effects on the elderly income inequality. They increases the income inequality of the elderly households. Forth, interfamily transfer income and public assistance income reduces income inequality of the elderly.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.20 no.3_4
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• pp.223-267
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• 1998

본 논문은 한국의 임금소득불평등도가, 다른 구미제국과는 달리, 1970년대 중반 이후 1993년까지 지속적으로 감소하여온 원인을 알고자 작성하였다. 특히 임금방정식의 추정을 통해 임금불평등도를 원인별로 분해하는 새로운 방법론을 처음 적용시킨 논문으로, 일정시점과 일정기간에 있어서의 원인별 기여도의 수량적 측정을 통해 불평등도를 분해하였다. 이러한 분해를 통하여 1980년대 중반 이후 한국의 임금불평등도가 감소된 주된 원인은 노동조합운동에 기인한 제도적 측면이 아니라 대졸자의 공급확대에 기인한 교육의 투자수익률 감소에 따른 시장적 측면이었다는 점을 보였다. 또한 1993년 이후 임금소득불평등도는 점차 확대되고 있으며, 최근 실업의 급증과 함께 불평등도의 확대가 더욱 심화되고 있는 것으로 파악되고 있다.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.1-34
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• 2008

This study estimates what fraction of the rise in household income inequality in Korean between 1996 and 2000 is accounted for by the change in each of the household income components, such as wages, employment, hours of work of household heads and spouses, household structure, and other incomes. The increased disparities of household heads' wages and labor supply explain, respectively, 70% and 34% of the rise in the difference in incomes between the top 10% and bottom 10% households. Changing labor supply of spouses, in contrast, was a strong countervailing force that diminished the measure of household income inequality by 21%.

• 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.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.117-140
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• 1988

본(本) 연구(硏究)에서는 1984년 한 해의 "도시가계연보(都市家計年報)"(전산(電算)테이프자료(資料))를 이용해 도시가구(都市家口) 계층간(階層間) 및 계층내(階層內)의 소득(所得) 및 소비(消費) 후생불평등도(厚生不平等度)를 추정하였으며 그 요인(要因)을 근로소득(勤勞所得)의 측면(側面)에서나 찾아보았다. 본(本) 연구(硏究)의 주요실증분석(主要實證分析) 결과(結果)는 다음과 같다. (1)도시가구(都市家口)의 불평등(不平等)을 크게 좌우(左右)하는 것은 재산소득(財産所得) 유무(有無)이며 (2)근로소득(勤勞所得)의 불평등(不平等)은 주로 학력간(學歷間) 임금격차(賃金格差)에서 비롯되고 있으며 (3)재산소득(財産所得)의 불평등(不平等)은 자본이득(資本利得)(capital gain)을 좌우(左右)하는 일반물가수준(一般物價水準)의 불안정(不安定)에서 비롯되고 있다. 따라서 불평등(不平等)의 개선(改善)을 위해서는 무엇보다도 먼저 물가수준(物價水準)의 안정(安定)이 최우선 조건이며 이와 더불어 학력간(學歷間) 임금격차(賃金格差)를 완화(緩和)시키는 노력도 병행되어야 할 것으로 보인다.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.31-39
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• 2015

This paper examines trends of the income inequality index and the income quintile share ratios, using the Household Survey released by Statistics Korea. We discuss their respective effects on total income inequality and the income disparity, as a contribution concept defined in this paper for 1990-2014 periods. Main findings are as follows. First, the contribution of 2-person families to total inequality with the current income or the disposable income becomes bigger, and growth rates have been above 10% since 2003. Second, the contribution of 1-person families to income inequality is greater than that of 2-person families. Policy implication is such that the government had better investigate the 1 or 2 person families in-depth to set up the policy measures for weakening the income inequality.