• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.137-156
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• 2007

Total fertility rate (TFR) increased from the lowest 1.08 in 2005 to 1.13 in 2006, and a debate is made whether the increase is temporary or continuous as a result of various pro-natal policies. This study intends to explore policy implications revealed in recent fertility change using vital statistics. For this purpose, tempo-adjusted fertility rate by birth order, fertility rate by age of mother and birth order, age-specific fertility for married, and age-specific divorce rate for married are analyzed. The increase of TFR and births for 2006 is largely due to increase of first births at early thirties with slowdown of delayed first marriage and first child birth. The increase of female population (the third wave effect of baby boom) and first marriages of late twenties in 2006 and 2007 would lead to increase of fertility during 2007-2008. But further increase is uncertain because of the decrease trend of marital fertility and increase trend of never-married for twenties. TFRs for first and second births reduced rapidly, while TFRs for third and above births showed no changes, and second births were largely affected by tempo adjustment of fertility. Thus, constructing social environment for first and second births is more effective and necessary than encouraging third births. In addition, social responsibility of child care, child-women health issues due to delayed births, and the need for multi-cultural family support system are discussed.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.111-137
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to analyze how to change the fertility behavior at each parity after/before the economic crisis, and to find its significant determinants. The study assumes that because the socioeconomic changes have significant effects on the individual's fertility behavior, the individual's fertility behaviors and the determinants affecting fertility at each parity may change with economic crisis. Such assumption has been proven in this study. After the economic crisis, Korean fertility behavior at each parity has changed. The proportion of women having no child has increased. However, women who want to have a second child or a third one are more likely to do so within shorter period after marriage. The rectangularization of fertility has appeared after the economic crisis, because women married at later ages tends to finish their child bearing within the short period, especially before age 35. Based on the multiple variable analysis, the determinants affecting the fertility behavior have changed after the economic crisis. Interestingly, the men's safety job have the positive effects on the first childbearing while the women's safety careers have the negative effects on it, after the economic crisis. Before the economic crisis, both do not have significant effects on the first childbearing. This findings point out the limitation of women career favor policy, which purpose to raise the fertility rates by making good environments for women having children to work comfortably without the anxiety of child care.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.89-113
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• 2006

Over the past four decades reproductive behavior has changed rapidly in much of the developing countries. The average total fertility rate has fallen by half from six or more to near three today. Between 1960 and 2000 the largest fertility decline occurred in Asia and Latin America. The mortality rate has also decreased in most developing countries. The purpose of this study is to review the pattern and characteristic of demographic transition in developing countries. At first, this study focuses on the regional fertility and mortality transition. Africa, the total fertility rate is still high, can be match to the second stage of demographic transition. Similar case is found in Southern West Asia areas. However, the fertility rate has therd stage of demographic transition. The same pattern is found in Latin America. The mortality rate has also decreased in most of developing countries. It is interesting to find that there is a clear difference among developing countries. In terms of crude death rate, Latin American countries show the lowest rate. while African countries remain still high rate. About mortality, African countries show a high level in terms of both crude death rate and infant mortality rate. African countries also show the lowest level of life expectancy in the world. One of the reasons for low level of life expectancy in Africa is the widespread of AIDS in this areas. This study suggests that we should include 'AIDS' in the study of mortality in African countries.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.962-967
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• 2010

The influences of the different mixture of urea fertilizer and pig manure compost as a nitrogen (N) source on Chinese cabbage yield, N uptake, and N agronomic efficiency (AE) were evaluated in two soils having different soil fertility levels. Increasing urea application level was very effective to improve yield and N uptake of Chinese cabbage, and the highest yield was obtained by urea fertilization alone in two soils. On the other hand, the lowest yield and N uptake was obtained from compost alone application in two soils. There was no significant difference in terms of the nitrogen AE between low and high fertility soils that were fully applied with urea. The AE values of Chinese cabbage applied by compost alone were significantly higher in the soil having a low fertility (28.8 g $g^{-1}$) than that in soil with high fertility (16.2 g $g^{-1}$), suggesting that N in compost was more responsive in improving the yield of Chinese cabbage in low fertility soils.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2011

Soil fertility different depend on application rate of manure and compost for many years. While each crop has different adaptability depend on soil fertility, crop and species or varieties should be chosen depending on the adaptability and productivity. These experiments were carried out to compare the five winter cereal crops for whole crop silage on growth, yield and feed value as affected by soil organic content. The rate of increase on no. of spikes at high fertile soil compared with medium fertile soil was sequently high Samhan (Oat's variety) > Cheongwoo (Wheat) > Gogu (Rye) > Youngyang (Barley) > Shinyoung (Triticale). The rate of decrease at low fertile soil compared with medium fertile soil was sequently high Youngyang > Gogu > Cheongwoo > Shinyoung > Samhan. The triticale was lower variation of no. of spikes as affected by soil organic content than that of other winter cereals. The variations of dry matter yield as affected by soil fertility was higher oat and barley and lower triticale. Forage yield of triticale was higher about 69 percent than that of barley at low fertile soil. Forage yield was the highest in triticale and the lowest in rye in all soil fertility. In high fertile soil, rate of increasing digestible dry matter (DDM) yield compared with medium fertile was high in Samhan and Youngyang. Rate of reduced DDM yield in low fertile soil compared with medium fertile was low in Shinyoung and Cheongwoo.

• International Area Studies Review
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.215-235
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• 2018

Policy concerns related to raising fertility rates are not only common interests among the OECD countries, but they are also issues of great concern to South Korea whose fertility rate is the lowest in the world. The fertility rate in South Korea continues to decline, even though most of the national budget has been spent on measures to address this and many studies have been conducted on the increase in the fertility rates. In this regard, this study aims to verify the effectiveness of the detailed factors affecting the fertility rate that have been discussed in the previous studies on fertility rates, and to investigate the overall trend toward enhancing the quality of life and increasing the fertility rate through macroscopic and structural studies under the recognition of problems related to the policy approaches through the case studies of the European countries. Toward this end, this study investigated if a high quality of life in advanced countries contributes to the increase in the fertility rate, which country serves as a state model that has a high quality of life and a high fertility rate, and what kind of social and policy environment does the country have with regard to childbirth. The analysis of the OECD Better Life Index (BLI) and CIA fertility rate data showed that the countries whose people enjoy a high quality of life do not necessarily have high fertility rates. In addition, under the recognition that a country with a high quality of life and a high birth rate serves as a state model that South Korea should aim for, the social characteristics of Iceland, Ireland, and New Zealand, which turned out to have both a high quality of life and a high fertility rate, were compared with those of Germany, which showed a high quality of life but a low fertility rate. According to the comparison results, the three countries that were mentioned showed higher awareness of gender equality; therefore, the gender wage gap was small. It was also confirmed that the governments of these countries support various policies that promote both parents sharing the care of their children. In Germany, on the other hand, the gender wage gap was large and the fertility rate was low. In a related move, however, the German government has made active efforts to a paradigm shift toward gender equality. The fertility rate increases when the synergy lies in the relationship between parents and children; therefore, awareness about gender equality should be firmly established both at home and in the labor market. For this reason, the government is required to provide support for the childbirth and rearing environment through appropriate family policies, and exert greater efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the relevant systems rather than simply promoting a system construction. Furthermore, it is necessary to help people in making their own childbearing decisions during the process of creating a better society by changing the national goal from 'raising the fertility rate' to 'creating a healthy society made of happy families'

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.97-116
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• 2007

As the fertility level in Korea continues to drop with detrimental implications for the society, it has regained much attention of academics and policy makers. This study, building on the previous research on fertility behavior, attempts to explore the plan of young married women to have an additional child. While such plan is not always put into practice, it is still closely related to fertility behavior. In addition, it can provide useful clues to understanding behavior in the future. Utilizing a recent nationwide survey on marriage and fertility, the study analyzes the plan of further birth among young married women according to the number of their children. The results show that the plan for first child is quite universal as no difference is found by their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. However, having plan for second child differs by the work status of husbands, presence of mother of young married women, and the sex of first child. The effects of first two factors suggest that young married women take into consideration stability of home economics and availability of care sharing. As for the plan for the child, the present and ideal sex composition of children appear most important. The results indicate that the mechanism of fertility progression differs by the current number of children. Thus, consideration of such differential would help us deepen our understanding of fertility behaviors and need to reflect in the study. The study also argues that comprehensive and systematic qualitative research should be accompanied by to capture complexity of fertility decision making process.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-37
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• 2006

As the fertility rate of Korea has recently decreased to the lowest level in the world, the recognition of the needs for social support for the child-care has been increased. This resulted in the announcement of National Policy of Child-Rearing Support in 2004. This study attempted to propose the activation of the family child-care for the preparation of the introduction of the National Policy of Child-Rearing Support. Using literature review and interview, the following research questions were addressed. Firstly, the actual situation of the family child-care was compared with that of the other types of child-care. Secondly, the policies of child-rearing support and the family child-care systems in other countries such as United Kingdom, Sweden and Japan were introduced. Finally, activations of the family child-care were discussed in terms of the introduction of the National Policy of Child-Rearing Support. The results of this study implies that the family child-care in Korea is different from that of other countries as well as other types of child-care in Korea. Also, it suggests that key factors of the activation of the family child-care in Korea are to identify as the small, informal and family-like child-care, to differentiate as the infant-care and non-standard time child-care from other types of child-care, and to increase the level of professionalization. In conclusion, family child-care should become an alternative for the low fertility problem.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.241-268
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• 2006

This study aim to examine the optimum population in Korea, which has the lowest fertility rate in the world. This study has significance because this rapid decline in the fertility rate is expected to bring the decrease of the population and unbalance in the population composition in Korea. From the social welfare perspective, the optimum population is guided by maximization of the social welfare level per person or the social welfare level in a society. The optimum population can be defined as follows: The proportion of older adults 65 and over is 15-17%, the proportion of work force is 64-69%, the index of aging is 72-104. Within the current population and population composition, the optimum population is estimated as 4.85-4.95 million. These findings imply that we need to remove causes of low fertility rate and prepare for policies encouraging immigration of labor force from foreign countries. In addition, policies and programs where children can be grown up in good environments and women and older adults can participate in labor force should be established.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.45-72
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• 1996

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the level of fertility of Koreans in China in comparison to Hans. From the demographic perspective, this paper attempts to develop explanation for Korean immigration to northeast China since the mid 19th century. Of interest are the trend of population growth and geographic distribution of Koreans in China Attention is also given to the comparison of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics between Koereans and Hans in China. The research is based on the raw data files of the 1990 Population Census from Jilin Province and Yanbian Korean Prefecture. The findings of the analysis suggest that the level of fertility of Koreans in China is substantially lower than those of Hans and other ethnic minority. This appears to be particularly true for Koreans residing in the regions densely populated with Koreans. The results of ANOVA and MCA confirm that the ethnic factor does have significant effects on the level of fertility. The lowest fertility of Koreans is found to be consistent after adjusting the effects of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the couple and the household. Despite the recent uprising of the sex ratio at birth in China, it is found in this study that the pattern of sex ratios for Koreans in Jilin Province and Yanbian Korean Prefecture has been fairly balanced and stable. Finally, Koreans are found to have higher level of child mortality than Hans and other ethnic minority.