• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.125-143
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of households with a negative cash flow. The Household Budget Survey conducted in 2000, 2005, and 2010 by the Bureau of Statistics in South Korea were used for this study. The households used in this study were divided into four groups according to their income levels; they were categorized the lowest, low, middle, and high income groups. This study made several findings regarding households with a negative/positive cash flow. Firstly, the demographic and economic characteristics were different between those who have a negative cash flow and those with a positive cash flow. A female household head, a household head age 65 and older, a household head with a lower educational attainment, an unemployed household head, and the presence of a child/children in schools were related with the household deficit. Secondly, the households with a positive cash flow had a higher income level compared to the households with a negative cash flow, while the households with a negative cash flow had a much higher consumption level compared to the households with a positive cash flow. Thirdly, the household deficit to total income ratio of the lowest income group was higher when compared to any other income group. Lastly, the multivariate statistics showed that households including a child/children in schools are more likely to be a household with a negative cash flow. Especially, the expenditures on education and transportation were related with the likelihood of a household deficit.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.127-135
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• 2016

Improving farming activity competence of farm households has recently been considered one of the most important factors for increasing farm income. However, few studies examine the relationship between farm income and farming activity competence of farm households directly due to the lack of an available dataset. In this study, we examine the relationship between farm household technical managerial competence and farm household income based on the nearly 30,000 farm households consulting data gathered by the Rural Development Administration, RDA. The major findings of this study are as follows: firstly, statistically significant differences in agricultural and farm household income exist between farm households categorized by farm activity competence levels in terms of technique and management. Secondly, a technically and managerially competent farm household group (high-rank farm household) has 2.2 times higher agricultural income and 1.9 times higher farm household income than the technically and managerially incompetent farm household group (low-rank farm household). Thirdly, farm household technical-managerial competence is one of the major factors that affect agricultural and farm household income. Regarding technical competence, agricultural income and farm household income increased by approximately 1,390,000 won and 1,530,000 won, respectively, as technical points increased by one point. However, with respect to managerial competence, agricultural income and farm household income increased by approximately 1,320,000 won and 2,070,000 won, respectively, as managerial points increased by one point.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.181-201
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• 2016

Using a nationally representative sample from three recent waves of the Korean Welfare Panel Study, this study examined the association between experiencing material hardship and suicidal ideation among low-income households in South Korea. Overall, we found that experiencing material hardship was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. We also found that, among individual items of material hardship, experiencing food insecurity or credit problems was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. Furthermore, we found that the association of experiencing material hardship with having suicidal ideation was more pronounced for male-headed or elderly-headed households. Policy implications to improve living condition among low-income households and reduce their suicide-related behavior were discussed.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.303-316
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• 2013

This paper examines the achievements and limitations of housing assistance programs for low-income households. Korean public rental housing has been rapidly developing since 2000, and thereby achieved an increase in public rental housing stock, housing quality improvements, and the reduction of rent over-burden for low-income tenants. Despite some conflicting evidence, it appears that the provision of newly-built public rental housing has helped stabilize the prices of neighboring private rental housing units. But, as we are entering an era of one million long-term public rental housing units, we need to shift our focus from quantity-oriented provision to housing maintenance for tenants, and from cost-based rental housing to affordable rental housing and better access to rental housing for low-income tenants who are not beneficiaries of government assistance. Most of all, it is very important for local governments and the private sector to actively participate in the provision of public rental housing in order to ensure a stable rental housing market.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.611-628
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine influence of home energy cost on housing cost burden of Korean and U.S. monthly renter households in urban areas and to explore influences of household and housing characteristics on their home energy cost burden. Microdata for this research was extracted from the 2011 Korean Household Budget Survey and 2009 American Housing Survey. Monthly renter households in urban areas were initially grouped based on household income, followed by a detailed analysis of housing and home energy cost. Findings are as follows: (1) The maximum ratio of home energy cost to household house hold income in Korea was 49% compared to 83% in the US; (2) Energy cost to income ratio were found to have significant influences on housing cost burden and lower income households' housing cost burden was found more vulnerable to their energy cost; (3) In general, the energy cost burden of low-income renter households in Korea tended to be influenced by household size, the number of household members staying at home during daytime hours and housing unit size. The energy cost burden of low-income renter households in the U.S. tended to be influenced by home structure type, size and age, the householder's age, race, educational attainment, the household size, number of wage earners per household, income, and the number of household members between 7 and 17 years of age.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.169-181
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of living cost reduction through social welfare services and programs and to suggest the further ways of saving living cost for low-income households. For the research purpose, low-income household type was divided into three representative groups such as senior household, household with school-aged children, and household with the disabled based on the literature review. Four case households which live in permanent rental apartment in Seoul were selected as research subjects. During March 14~April 10, 2010, each household was interviewed to examine the details of monthly income and expenditure structure and types of welfare services receiving. Although some differences exist among cases, there was a definite living cost reduction effect through welfare services and programs from 12% to 150%. Household with school-aged children required diversified education programs corresponding to the children's age. Meanwhile, households including senior and the disabled indicated the necessity of convenient transportation system.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.275-296
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• 2012

Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University The national health insurance system in Korea is characterized as relatively high out-of-pocket payments, which are the principal source of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). The objectives of this study are to estimate the incidence of household CHE and to clarify the characteristics that affect the occurrence and recurrence of household CHE using the Seoul Welfare Panel Survey database for 2008 and 2010. Thresholds to estimate CHE were 10% and 20% of the total household income (T/X), and 25% and 40% of the income excluding food share (T/Y). Determinants of the occurrence and recurrence of CHE at the threshold of T/X=10% were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. Out of the 3,665 households that responded in 2008 survey, households with CHE were 12.07% (T/X${\geq}$10%), 5.34% (T/X${\geq}$20%), 6.84% (T/Y${\geq}$25%), and 4.44% (T/Y${\geq}$40%). Risk factors associated with household CHE included living with a spouse, non-Medicaid beneficiary, householder unemployment, low household income, the number of disabled members, poor subjective health, and the number of chronic diseases. A total of 41.78% of households with CHE in 2008 repeatedly experienced CHE in 2010. Risk factors of CHE recurrence included decreased household income and an increase in chronic diseases over the two time periods, the number of members with disability or chronic diseases, and the presence of cancer patients in 2008. Households with lower socioeconomic and health status had a higher financial burden on health care than do their counterpart households. There is a need to enhance society-wide financial protection from health spending among vulnerable citizens in Seoul, particularly, households with low income, disabled members or cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 2005

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of the 1997 economic crisis on Korean households' clothing expenditures at different incom levels. The raw data sets from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey of 1994, 1996, 198, and 2000 produced by the National Statistical Office were used. Based on their income data, subjects were divided into three groups: upper-income (upper 30%), low-income(lower 30%), and middle-income (the 40% in between). The main results are as follows : 1) the income, consumption expenditures (ConE) and clothing expenditures (CloE) of Korean households increased in 1996, decreased in 1998 and recovered in 2000. Although the proportion of ConE to income increased after the economic crisis, CloE/ConE decreased. Clothing expenditures displayed an asymmetric pattern over the economic crisis : the clothing expenditures decreased severely and quickly during the groups. 2) Compared to other household expenditures, clothing expenditure patterns were unique and of clothing categories, the propottion of expenditures for outwear decreased considerably compared to other categories after the economic crisis.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.361-374
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• 2010

Using the first wave of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this research examines the effect of elderly parent's financial structure on private income transfers from their adult children. The results show that low income elderly households are more likely to receive income transfers from their children. Generally, Korean elderly households were found to have very low liquidity in their asset structure, as the average household holds over 90% of their assets in real estate. However, it seems that the parents' potential income based on their real estate assets is unimportant in determining children's transfer decisions. Rather, the parents' labor income is found to be a key factor in children's income transfer decisions.

• Journal of Korea Planning Association
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.101-116
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• 2018

Paying an attention to the issue of energy poverty of low-income households and ensuing regressivity of energy consumption, this study empirically analyzes the effects of both household and housing characteristics on heating energy consumption in an integrated way and identifies their causal structure based on the 2016 Korea Housing Survey data provided by the Korean government. Multiple regression analysis shows that household income and deteriorated level of housing, such as age and degree of cracks have positive effects and floor area of housing has a negative effect on the heating energy consumption per unit area of housing (HECPUH). Path analyses further reveal that the direct effect of household income on HECPUH is offset by the indirect effects that are mediated by deteriorated level and floor area of housing, making the total effect statistically insignificant. As a result, there is no significant difference in HECPUH across all income strata, implying that low-income (high-income) households pay more (less) heating costs relative to their income level, since they reside in the houses with relatively low (high) energy efficiency. To deal with this regressive causal structure of energy consumption, a policy option is recommended to improve energy efficiency of low-income housing through the government assistance in its maintenance and repair.