• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2023

Purpose - Since COVID-19, the government's expansion of liquidity to stimulate the economy has resulted in an increase in private debt and an increase in asset prices of such as real estate and stocks. The recent sharp rise of the US Federal fund rate and tapering by the Fed have led to a fast rise in domestic interest rates, putting a heavy burden on the Korean economy, where the level of household debt is very high. Excessive household debt might have negative effects on the economy, such as shrinking consumption, economic recession, and deepening economic inequality. Therefore, now more than ever, it is necessary to identify the causes of the increase in household debt. Design/methodology/approach - Main methodology is regression analysis. Dependent variable is household loans from depository institutions. Independent variables are consumer price index, unemployment rate, household loan interest rate, housing sales price index, and composite stock price index. The sample periods are from 2017 to May 2022, comprising 72 months of data. The comparative analysis period before and after COVID-19 is from January 2017 to December 2019 for the pre-COVID-19 period, and from Jan 2020 to December 2022 for the post-COVID-19 period. Findings - Looking at the results of the regression analysis for the entire period, it was found that increases in the consumer price index, unemployment rate, and household loan interest rates decrease household loans, while increases in the housing sales price index increase household loans. Research implications or Originality - Household loans of depository institutions are mainly made up of high-credit and high-income borrowers with good repayment ability, so the risk of the financial system is low. As household loans are closely linked to the real estate market, the risk of household loan defaults may increase if real estate prices fall sharply.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.347-376
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• 2023

This study empirically examines the impacts of policy funds from three different aspects using data on Daegu city's local government loans. First, we estimate the influence of policy funds on mitigating financial constraints affecting the investment decisions of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), yielding inconclusive results indicating no significant discernible effects of policy funds. Second, we scrutinize the ramifications of policy funds on enterprise's management stability, revealing that these funds contribute to stabilizing the operations of small-scale enterprises. Third, we explore whether policy funds engender an unintended consequence of bolstering distressed enterprises, presenting empirical evidence that suggests a delayed exit of such enterprises.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.89-112
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• 2014

This paper characterizes an optimal combination of grant and income-contingent loans (ICL) from efficiency and equity points of view as a government subsidy program for higher-education. In particular, we show that it is always desirable to introduce ICL for students regardless of their household incomes, and also provide arguments for the superiority of tax-financing system to loans with risk-premium as a financing mechanism of ICL. From policy point of view, this paper suggests a need for the extended coverage of our ICL system, while justifying its current tax-financing system.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2007

It is our imminent project that we should train young and able manpower to strengthen the international competitiveness under the free trade of agricultural products, to solve the problem of decrease in farm population and of aging people in agriculture. The objective of this research is to suggest an alternative policy plan through the survey and analysis on the controversial issues in loans for starting agricultural business based on the survey of graduates of Korea National Agricultural College from 2002 to 2005. According to the survey, in case of graduates who are not available sufficient fanning capital such as land and agricultural facilities on it, they are not able to get loans from banks in that situation. The survey, as a result, points out that those who are legally required to do farming should be given several special aids by the government such as the improvement of Credit Guarantee Fund System for Farmers and Fishermen and the farming loans conditions for initial farm business, a long term lease of public land, giving a priority in lease-farmland project of farmland bank and allowing loan for working capital for farm management.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.71-91
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• 2016

This paper examines the effect of the government college loan program in Korea on student academic performance, dropout decisions and loan defaults. While fairness in educational opportunities has been guaranteed to some degree through this program, which started in 2009, there has been a great deal of controversy over its effectiveness. Empirical findings suggest that recipients of general student loan (GSL) lower academic performance than those who received income contingent loan (ICL). Moreover, for students attending private universities, a higher number of loans received increased the probability of a dropout decision, and students from middle-income households had a higher probability of being overdue than students from low-income households. These findings indicate that expanding the ICL program within the allowance of the government budget is necessary. Furthermore, providing opportunities for students to find various jobs and introducing a rating system for defaulters are two necessary tasks.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.41-59
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• 2018

After global financial crisis, policy makers in major countries tried to find a new bank recovery and resolution policy. The new policy intends to normalize the market not by bail-out approach in which public funds should be provided bankrupt banks, but by market discipline approach in which unsecured creditors take part in liquidation process. Bail-in system is a new and dominant financial policy after crisis period in resolution regimes led by the government administration. This study tries to analyze the relationship between bail-in system and pro-cyclicality. Empirical analysis has been done by taking the basis of the 8 year data from 2008 to 2015, which is selected from financial statistics information system of Korea Financial Supervisory Service. Accounting and financial data are collected from the dataguide 5.0 between 2008 and 2015. Through the analysis, the effect of bail-out system and bail-in system on pro-cyclicality of total loans did not show the statistically significant relationship. However the effect of bail-out system on pro-cyclicality of SME loans showed the statistically significant relationship, meanwhile the effect of bail-in system on pro-cyclicality of SME loans did not show the statistically significant relationship. In conclusion, bail-in system can be useful policy which improves the support and promotion of SMEs.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-69
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• 2004

Bioenergy can be obtained from various forms of biomass such as agricultural, food processing, and municipal wastes. Recently, its importance is recognized more seriously because of its positive impacts on economic and stable energy supply and environmental sustainability. Despite its advantages, bioenergy has not been used as much as it was expected, nor has it been developed to the level of attractive commercialization in energy market. The main reasons for the sluggish progress have been analyzed by comparing the bioenergy policies in Korea and U.S.A. Both Korea and U.S. governments have recognized the importance of bioenergy and put in various efforts to promote the use of bioenergy. Both governments have legislated alternative energy promotion plans that support R&D, tax reduction, rewards, and low interest loans. However, it is suggested that the bioenergy policy and plan juxtapose the financial supports (R&D, tax exemption, low interest loan, education, etc.) with strong mandates and obligations. Although imposing strong mandates prerequisites the economically attractive and feasible technologies, it can motivate and speed up more effective technology development, in turn. In addition, the bioenergy R&D support must include studies on commercialization and marketing as well as process development. R&D on the socioeconomic effects of bioenergy should also be supported. Lastly, decision making processes for the bioenergy policy, and for alternative energy overall, must include environmental agencies for taking advantage of environmental benefits of bioenergy.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-63
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• 1991

Currently, Korea's banking industry holds a sizable amount of non-performing loans which stem from the government-led bailout of many troubled firms in the 1980s. Although this burden was somewhat relieved with the aid of banks' recapitalization in the booming securities market between 1986-88, the insolvent credits still resulted in low profitability in the banking sector and have been detrimental to the progress of financial liberalization and internationalization. This paper surveys the corporate bailout experiences of major advanced countries and Korea in the past and derives a rationale for readjustment measures against non-performing loans, in which rescue plans depend on the nature of the financial system. Considering the features of Korea's financial system and the banking sector's recent performance, it discusses possible means of liquidation in keeping with the rationale. The conflict of interests among parties involved in non-performing loans is widely known as one of the major constraints in writing off the loans. Specifically, in the case of Korea, the government's excessive intervention in allocating credits has preempted the legitimate role of the banking sector, which now only passively manages its past loans, and has implicitly confused private with public risk. This paper argues that to minimize the incidence of insolvent loan readjustment, the government's role should be reduced and that the correspondent banks should be more active in the liquidation process, through the market mechanism, reflecting their access to detailed information on the troubled firms. One solution is that banks, after classifying the insolvent loans by the lateness or possibility of repayment, would swap the relatively sound loans for preferred stock and gradually write off the bad ones by expanding the banks' retained earnings and revaluing the banks' assets. Specifically, the debt-equity swap can benefit both creditors and debtors in the sense that it raises the liquidity and profitability of bank assets and strengthens the debtor's financial structure by easing the debt service burden. Such a creditor-led or market-led solution improves the financial strength and autonomy of the banking sector, thereby fostering more efficient resource allocation and risk sharing.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
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• v.77
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• pp.215-237
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• 2018

This study closely examines domestic supplementary measures implemented for Free Trade Agreements (FTA) concerning the agriculture and livestock industry and finds out their problems and put forward improvement measures in terms of their system and contents. The systematic problems with previously established supplementary measures are as follows. First, the existing short and long term measures does not comply with each FTA's special and unique economical, political and legislative purpose. Secondly, they focus on improvements for individual FTAs. They must be holistic and integrative considering all FTAs, thus producing synergy to reach better policy overall. Lastly, FTA policies and the measures must reflect the expanding size and scope of regional economic integration. Problems or concerns in existing supplementary measures include first, flexible financing. The government hands out loans to players in the industry based on assets but these loans must be flexible to market interest changes and must include reduced mortgage rate options. Secondly, rigid standards that trigger direct loss prevention, establishing maximum and minimum loan limits, and developing a comprehensive standard for identifying crops to support are all problems that need to be addressed. Thirdly, education of next and future agricultural generation is paramount in building a competitive workforce. Fourthly, the government must identify industries lacking in performance or short in supply to cease or reducing funding. Last but not least, the government should actively search for new markets for export and produce long term road maps for export growth.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.25-43
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• 1997

This paper empirically estimates gains from capital inflow to a regional ecomomy. It will be a usefulc for indicator for a local government to build a policy for attracting capital. We estimate the respective Cobb-Douglas production function for 11 provinces of Korea, derive its marginal productivity of capital, and then calculate the amount of capital moved between two provinces and gains from the capital movement. With no barriers to capital movement, there would be a strong motive for capital inflow to Seoul, Pusan, and Kyungki, whereas capital outflow would be expected in Chonnam, Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Kyungbuk. The ratio of gains from capital movement to the regional domestic from capital movement to the regional domestic product(RDP) is high in Cheju, Kangwon, Chungbuk, and so on. It turns out that capital flows from an area with lower productivity of capital to one with hihger productivity. This implies that if the local government of an underdeveloped region wants to lure capital investment from outside, it needs to provide it with strong incentives of eax reduction and special loans.