• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.209-232
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• 2017

This study proposes supplemental security income programs for the elderly to reduce the serious elderly poverty in Korea. The experiences of the supplemental security income programs for the elderly among the developed countries were investigated. Based on this, the Korean supplemental security income models were proposed, and the effects of the programs on the poverty, inequality, and finance were analysed. The results suggest the following implications. First, the supplemental security income programs cover a sizable portion of the elderly in Korea, and reduce substantially the poverty and inequality problems among the elderly. Second, the supplemental security income programs are efficient compared to the increase of the basic pension. Third, the effects were varied among the combinations of the basic pension models and the supplemental security income models. Therefore Korea needs to introduce an adequate policy mix consisting of basic income and supplemental security income programs so as to construct solid basic income security systems for the elderly.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.425-431
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to examine the participation rate in food assistance programs and explore the factors that contribute to such participation among the Korean elderly population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study sample comprised 3,932 respondents aged 65 years or older who were selected from a secondary data set, the fourth Korean Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS). The factors, related to participation in programs were examined based on the predisposing, enabling and need factors of the help-seeking behavior model. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to select the best contributors among the factors related to program participation. RESULTS: The predisposing rate in food assistance programs was 8.5% (7.1% for men and 10.4% for women). When all variables were included in the model, living without spouse, no formal education, low income, having social security benefits and food insecurity in elderly men, and age, low income, having social security benefits and feeling poor in elderly women were significantly related to a higher tendency to program participation. CONCLUSIONS: The predisposing and need factors, such as living without spouse, low education level, food insecurity and feeling poor were important for program participation, as well as enabling factors, such as household income and social security benefits. A comprehensive approach considering these factors to identify the target population for food assistance programs is needed to increase the effectiveness and target population penetration of these programs.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.125-145
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• 2011

The purposes of this study were to examine low-income households' financial statuses and the socio-economic characteristics of single-person and non-single person households according to the financial indexes used for evaluating financial security and growth status developed based on financial ratios. Using 2009 KLIPS(Korean Labor & Income Panel Survey) data collected by the Korean Labor Institute, the satisfaction levels from the indexes were analyzed and compared between the two household types. The results showed that 46.0% of single-person households were not satisfactory in terms of all financial growth indexes but were partially satisfactory in terms of all financial security indexes. These householders tended to be females and in the their 70s, who lived in Seoul or in a suburb of Seoul, Korea. They reported problems with a lack of financial growth possibilities. 47.0% of non-single person households were not satisfactory in terms of all financial growth indexes but were partially satisfactory in terms of all financial security indexes. These householders tended to be males in their 60s and 70s with no job who were living in Seoul or in a suburb of Seoul, Korea. They reported having low level of liquidity and high level of debt redemption. 42.6% of single-person households were not satisfactory in terms of both financial security and growth indexes partially. These householders tended to be females in their 20s or 70s who were living in rural areas. They reported problems related to an adverse balance between household income and expenditures and a large scale of debt. 43.1% of non-single households were not satisfactory in terms of both financial security and growth indexes partially. These householders tended to be males in their 60s or 70s and homeowners. They reported problem related to an adverse balance of household income and expenditures and high a level of housing expenditures and liquidity. The research findings have implication for policy makers considering financial support programs and welfare programs for low-income householders, considering the recent changes in households structures.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.213-237
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• 2017

It is essential in social policy evaluation to examine how effectively they protect people from social risks. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of five income security programs of Korea in coping with poverty, using KoWEPs data. We analyse the coverage and adequacy of these programs, joint as well as individual, for each sub-groups. As a result, it was found that 35% of the poor get none of the benefits. The coverage and adequacy for the aged is rather high. However, for the working age people, the unemployed in particular, are very poorly covered and average benefits levels are very low. These findings imply that there are much room and demand for improvement of Korean income security program, especially for working age population.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.3-35
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• 2018

This article critically reviews the arguments that deny the financial feasbility and effectiveness of universal basic income as an alternative to existing social security systems and makes some suggestions to design effective and efficient basic income schemes. Regarding the financial feasibility of universal basic income, I argue that replacement of the existing regressive tax expenditures with universal basic income without raising tax rates can effectively reduce tax burden or provide income support to a majority of people except the rich. Addition of basic income to the tax base and reduction of the number of beneficiaries of public assistance and the amount of cash payment for them can further help save money. Regarding the redistributive effect, I note that the targeting ability of the existing social security systems is not good and that "the paradox of redistribution" that universal-type programs tend to be more redistributive than selective programs applies to universal basic income as well. I demonstrate significant redistributive effect of a hypothetical revenue-neutral basic income scheme and reviews several empirical studies done in Korea and abroad to show that basic income can be more effective in redistribution than social insurances or public assistance programs. Lastly, I emphasize the need to construct a reliable tax-benefit microsimulation model to help researchers to study redistributive effects of basic income schemes and other taxes and social policies.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.211-220
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• 1993

Sustainable agriculture is a management system for ecological equilibrium and long-run productivity. Conversions from conventional to sustainable farming systems could have good effects on future generations' productivity and agricultural market opening in Korea. However, farmers are not willing to adopt sustainable farming system as because of farm income reductions, so government programs may be needed. Government programs should have research support for cost reductions, direct support for advocational livestock breedings and income security, and relative price changes for reducing agricultural chemicals.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.113-121
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• 2015

Several housing improvement programs for low-income have done by Ministry of Health & Welfare, Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Ministry of Security and Public Administration, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of Land, infrastructure and Transport up to now. Each program practiced separately based on each agency's function and territory, but there are also negative opinion on beneficiary duplication, beneficiary omission, and the inefficient execution of the government budget. This study analyzes the housing improvement programs of each agency on the aspects of coordination, and suggests the integration system with coordination and delivery system. We selected 3 indexes such as similarity, integration effect and availability for integration system and analyzed the effects of integrated programs into one based on cost, repair effect and management. We proposed that the similar housing improvement programs of each agency should be coordinated for integration. But it is not easy to integrate similar programs into one program, therefore similar programs which support the house owner are needed to integrate into housing benefit except same beneficiary who owned own house.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-70
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• 2018

After critically assessing the effectiveness of basic income as an alternative to the existing social security system, this article argues that basic income is fundamentally incapable of providing an adequate protection for those in social risks or welfare needs. The proponents of basic income often claims that technological innovations will lead to the end of work and thus that basic income will be required for all citizens in the future. Moreover, they emphasize that labor market flexibility is making a large segment of work forces unstable working poor, what is often called the precariat who are not effectively protected by the existing social insurance programs. For them, basic income is the best source of social protection for the precariat of today and the citizens in the future, freeing them from the necessity of having a paid work. This article, however, points out the ineffectiveness of basic income as social protection due to its unustainably high cost that comes from unconditional benefit provisions regardless of levels of income, social risks, and welfare needs. Also it challenges the simplified 'Luddites' image of workless society in the future, arguning that techological unemployment can be overcome by new job creation as seen in Silicon Valley and job sharing following working time reduction. It maintains that it is more cost-effective and reliable to strengthen the welfare state based on the principle of reciprocity that aims at 'universal sufficient protection for those in social risks and welfare needs.'

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the associations of food security with socio-demographic characteristics, nutrient intakes and mental health status among older Korean adults. Methods: This study was conducted using data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Subjects were 4,451 adults aged 65~98 years. Food security was measured using a self-reported question on food sufficiency of subjects' household. Based on the answers, study subjects were classified into secure, mildly insecure, moderately insecure, and severely insecure groups. Dietary intake was estimated by 24-hour dietary recall. Nutrient intake was assessed by dietary reference intakes (DRI). As for mental health status, the data on mental stress, depression, and suicide ideation were used. Results: Rate of food insecurity in older adults was 14.3%. Old age, being female, low education, low income level, living alone, and discomfort in daily living were more related to food insecurity. Means of nutrient intakes were significantly different according to food security status. Intakes of calcium, potassium, and vitamin $B_2$ were lower than recommended intakes in all groups. Consumption amounts of soy and soybean products, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, vegetable oils, meats, eggs, seafood, and dairy products were lower in food insecure groups. Mental stress, depression, and suicide ideation were higher in food insecure groups independent of the gender and income level. Conclusions: These present findings suggested that food security is related to mental health as well as nutrition status in older Korean adults. A national system that include food and psychosocial support programs for the elderly should be considered in order to improve the overall health of older Korean adults.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.55
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• pp.181-204
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to offer a comprehensive analysis of the changing trends of the Korean income packaging, poverty rate, and level of income inequality from 1996 to 2002. In order to do that, this study used the micro-data of "Income and Expenditure Survey of Urban Households" by the National Statistical Office(NSO). Major results were as follows: (1) A ratio of public transfer in family income packaging increased at the DJ administration. (2) Poverty rate and Gini coefficient, which were 7.8% and 0.29 in 1996, rose to $8.8{\sim}10.4%$ and $0.30{\sim}0.34$ respectively during the year of 1998-2002. (3) However, poverty reduction effect and income inequality reduction effect of public income transfer increased preferably at the DJ administration. Those effects increased more since the enactment of National Basic Livelihood Security in 2000. Therefore, government should provide more national welfare programs to reduce the poverty rate and to improve better structure of income distribution.