• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.3-23
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• 2017

This study aims to understand how human capital is related to the inter-regional wage gap between the capital region and the non-capital region in Korea. We focus more specifically on whether the inter-regional wage gap is due to high levels of human capital in the capital region or due to high returns to human capital in the capital region. The decomposition method based on the unconditional quantile regression was used to examine how the relationship between human capital and the inter-regional wage gap varies along the wage distribution. When first estimating earnings functions from the two regions to apply this decomposition method, we included not only conventional indicators of human capital, such as education and on-the-job training, but also occupational skills including cognitive-interactive skills, technical skills, and physical skills. As a result, other things being equal, a large part of the inter-regional wage gap was explained by the human capital variables. Although the composition effect of the human capital variables existed in all the wage quantiles, the more important factor was the wage structure effect of the human capital variables. In addition, among the various human capital variables, the wage structure effect of years of education was a key factor in explaining the inter-regional wage gap. This study is meaningful in that it shows that the relationship between human capital and the inter-regional wage gap may vary depending on the wage quantiles.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.29-44
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• 2022

This study compares the wage equation in Korea to those in other countries, focusing on the wage returns to adult education and training (AET) participation. It is found that the wage compensation structure in Korea is associated mainly with job characteristics such as tenure and workplace size rather than with worker characteristics such as AET participation and cognitive abilities. It is also found that Korea's AET participation is skewed toward non-job-related AET, relative to the situations in other countries. These findings imply that the link between a worker's productivity and wage should be strengthened in order to incentivize workers to invest in AET relevant to the labor market.

• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.145-179
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• 2023

This study empirically examines the relationship between the education and competence, age and competence, and the returns to skills in the labor market in different countries using PIAAC data. The main focus is notable characteristics of Korea compared to other PIAAC participant countries. Contrary to young students who have highest scores in international tests, Korean adults made mediocre performances in all three areas, numeracy, literacy, and problem solving. It turns out that the correlation between educational level and competence is weak in Korea compared to other countries, whereas the depreciation of competence from aging is strongest. In terms of labor market returns, literacy skills get highest returns while problem-solving skills get lowest in Korea. In contrast, the numeracy skills get highest returns, and the problem-solving skills have high returns than those of Korea in many other countries When we include three skills in the Mincer wage equation, the returns to problem solving skills have negative effect in Korea, which is rarely found in other countries. These results implies that problem-solving skills are not much appreciated in the Korean labor market and Korean adults have few opportunities of accumulating human capital after finishing formal education. Korean need to rethink the ways to accumulate human capital and enhance economic performances to overcome high deprecation in human capital after formal education and to make the labor market more efficient in a sense that adults' competence results in the due economic returns.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.23 no.1_2
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• pp.193-231
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to clarify the real causes of gender wage differentials in Korea by analyzing changes over the period from 1984 to 1999. The participation rate of women in the Korean labor force has gradually increased since 1963, reaching 47.4 percent as of 1999. This increase can be attributed to more active participation by women of all ages, except those aged 15-19, as a result of their enrollment in higher level education. In particular, a remarkable rise in labor market participation was achieved by those aged 25-29. On the other hand, the ratio of female workers earnings to that of male workers has increased from 45.1 percent in 1972 to 63.1 percent in 1999. However, when the gender wage differentials are decomposed into various factors, it is found that discrimination components against female workers, compared to the skills or productivity characteristics, played a greater role for the 1994 to 1999 period.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.85-108
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• 2007

This article analyzes the formative factors of the basic job skills(also the ability of computer using) and the economic effects of the basic job skills in Korea. This article uses the ALL(Adult Literacy and Life Skills) 2005 data in Korea. The factors which form the basic job skills are school years, father's education. Women are under men in the ability of computer using. The older a man grow, the more basic job skills he has, but the less ability of computer using he has. The employees in office worker or new service industry have more using computer ability than them in sales worker or manufacture industry. The wage effects of the basic job skills are insignificant, and the economic effects of basic job skills appear apparently in the entry into the good jobs. As the basic job skills can play a important role to enter into the good jobs, the policy agenda should make deal with the methods and programs through which the people without basic job skills must have the opportunities to get a lifelong learning for the basic job skills.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.29-50
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• 2006

This study examines the effects of pre-employment efforts of the youth on their transition to the labor market. Labor market performance is accessed by the transitory period, the employment at workplace with more than 300 employees, and the wage level. Based on the effects of employment efforts for the first transitory period, job experience during school and preparatory period for employment would raise the likelihood of employment, but the school credit, grade in English, and the frequency of interviews, on the contrary, failed to reduce the transitory period. Employment effect varied according to educational background. In case of college graduates, vocational education and job experience during school were statistically significant variables leading them to decent jobs. On the other hand, in case of university graduates, job experience and language skills were proven to be important factors. Lastly, for the wage effect, in case of college graduates, vocational training, job experience during school, and English ability were proven to increase the wage level. However, vocational training after graduation and job experience during school decreased the wage level, but grade in English and pre-employment efforts during school increased the possibility of getting a decent, highly paid job for university graduates.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 1996

The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the rank of purposes of Korean secondary school home economics education related to three systems of action: technical, communicative, and emancipatory action by home economics(HE) teachers and HE teacher educators, (2) to compare differences between HE teachers and HE teacher educators concerning the degree of importance and achievement of the purposes of current Korean secondary school HE education. Respondents in this study were 225 HE teachers and 35 HE teacher educators. The survey method was used in this descriptive study. To determine the rank, Borich's needs assessment model was used. The data were analyzed by using t-test to compare the differences between the two groups. To promote a good life and the full development of human beings, to develop creative and critical thinking, to make morally defensible judgments, and to develop self-esteem were needed purposes for Korean secondary school HE education. Overall, the most high ranked purpose needs for both groups related to emancipatory action. The two groups were significantly different on the degree of the importance of evaluating family and social conditions, acquiring the skills needed as a wage earner and a homemaker, developing creative and critical thinking, and demonstrating proficiency of homemaking work. The teachers and teacher educator groups were significantly different on the degree of the achievement of making morally defensible judgments, understanding Korean traditional culture, and taking care of each other.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.95-137
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• 2012

Inflow of foreign workers and immigrants increase the supply of unskilled labor in the economy. In measuring their impacts, an impact evaluation method produces unreliable estimates because a control group independent from their impacts is hardly found within the economy. This study adopts an aggregate factor proportions approach and measures the impacts by estimating the effects of skills proportion changes in labor supply on relative wages. The estimation uses two and three skills groups categorized by education levels. The study reveals that foreign workers and immigrants contribute to economic growth by a small margin while they significantly widen the wage gap between native skilled and unskilled workers. The result is based upon the fact that the existing foreign workers and immigrants are predominantly the least skilled groups. The estimates can be applied in predicting the impacts of labor inflow from North Korea which always remains as a possibility in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.111-130
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• 2002

This study performed a structural questionnaire survey and non-structural interview of the ladies apparel manufacturers in Daegu on the qualification for the employees, skills required for job performance, job training, automatic manufacturing systems, and the use of computer. The results are as follows. 1. Almost all of the apparel manufacturing systems were Pair System, except one Line System in one company. In terms of outsourcing, most of the manufacturers answered “yes,” and in 1998 the outsourcing process was sewing, but in the year 2002, outsourcing has been increased :12 manufacturers(57.1%) outsourcing most of the processes except patterning, 3(14.3%) outsourcing the finish of sewing. 2. The workforce of 1998 and that of 2002 shows a significant difference(P＜. 01) between office work and management. The number of office workers has decreased from 15 down to 5.3 people. On the other hand, that of the management has slightly increased from 5.3 to 9.2 people. The number of the manual workers has decreased from 32.2 to 28.7 people. And the number of tailoring and patterning workers has slightly decreased, but the number has increased in sewing from 3.7 to 7.0 people. 3. The wage of an employee shows a significant difference between a sewing assistant(P＜. 01) and a production manager(P＜. 05), and the wage of a sewing assistant, in particular, has slightly raised from ￦905,000 to ￦1,054,000. 4. The qualifications required of employees are “cooperative human relations”(30.8％), “diligence,” and “ability for job analysis”(26.9％), and “positive thinking” (15.4％) in 1998, and “ability for job analysis”(38.5％), “cooperative human relations”(34.6％), and “positive thinking” (15.4％) in 2002. The areas for job openings are significantly different(P＜. 01) depending on the year. Job openings in the design section has increased from 1(3.8％) to 16 manufacturers (61.5％), and decreased in tailoring section from 22(84.6％) to 2 manufacturers(7.7％). Job openings in the sewing section have increased form 2(7.7％) to 6 manufacturers (23.1％). In terms of sex of the employees, there is a significant difference(P＜. 001). 19 companies(73.1％) wanted “male” in 1998, but 8 companies(30.8％) answered that they want “female” and 17 companies(65.4％) answered that “it does not matter.” About the educational background, there was a significant difference between the years. The number of the companies that want junior college graduates with an associate degree has increased(15 companies(57.7％). There was a significant difference(P＜. 05) in major of the employee. The number of the companies that want fashion majors has increased from 5(19.2％) to 20(76.9％). 5. In terms of job skills required, there was no significant difference. In 1998, “production skills” (46.2％) and “ability for job analysis” (26.9％) were required, and in 2002, “ability for job analysis” (42.3％) and “emotional skills” (26.9％). 6. In regard to training for job skills, “fashion professional training” has slightly decreased from 65.4％ in 1998 to 46.2％ in 2002, however, “training for job analysis” has slightly increased from 30.8％ in 1998 to 46.2％ in 2002, which indicates the fact that “fashion professional training” and “ability for job analysis” have been emphasized. 7. The number of the manufacturers purchased apparel CAD has increased from 1(3.8％) to 3(11.5％), and the number of the manufacturers that have no plan for purchase has increased from 16(61.5％) in 1998 to 15(57.7％), still taking up a big proportion. 8. About the use of computers in manufacturing, there is a significant difference(P＜. 05). The number of the manufacturers using computer has increased from 5(19.2％) to 15(57.7％) and that of the manufacturers which do not use computers has decreased from 17(57.7％) to 8(30.8％). 9. In the interviews with the owners of the manufacturers, they pointed that schools should give more weight on practical training courses, the invitation of experts in the specific field, complex production systems, training courses for sewing, field trip courses, and furthering specialty education, personality and vocational education.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.117-129
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• 2011

This study investigated the job stress and job satisfaction of caregivers who work to substitute the care of family. The purpose was to improve the quality of elderly welfare services and maintain a healthy family. Data were collected from 239 caregivers working in long-term care facilities in Gwangyang in Jeonnam in October 2010. They were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 program. The statistics used for analysis were correlation and regression. The results of this study are as follows. First, most of the subjects were women in their forties or fifties. Most of them worked to support their families and, on average, earned less than 1.5 million won. The relation of job stress and job satisfaction appeared negative. The stress of relationships, income, and the number of clients had significant effects on job satisfaction. First and foremost, these results mean that a reduction in the job stress of caregivers is essential to provide them. So it is suggested that wage increases and more professional education or interpersonal skills training should be provided and a standardized test to assess job stress and job satisfaction should be prepared to improve the quality of caregivers.