청년층의 근로빈곤 요인에 관한 연구 -고용불안정과 고용상태가 빈곤이행에 미치는 영향을 중심으로-

A Study on Factors Affecting Workable Youth's Poverty Transition -Focused on Employment Stability and Employment Status-

높은 청년실업률과 계속되는 경기침체로 청년층의 경제적 불안이 심화되고 있지만 청년층의 빈곤을 고용의 관점에서 분석한 연구는 드물다. 특히 청년빈곤이 근로빈곤의 특성을 가진다는 점에서 이들의 고용불안정과 고용특성이 빈곤의 이행에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지에 대한 연구가 요구된다. 본 논문은 한국복지패널데이터의 제3차(2007년)~제5차(2009년) 자료를 이용해 청년 근로능력자의 빈곤이행(빈곤탈출과 빈곤진입)에 영향을 미치는 요인을 고용형태와 고용상태 변화를 중심으로 분석하였다. 분석결과, 청년층은 빈곤진입 및 탈출이 활발했으며 교육수준이 높고 비취업 상태에 놓인 경우가 많았다. 정규직일수록, 취업상태를 지속할수록 빈곤을 탈출할 가능성은 높아지고 빈곤에 진입할 가능성은 낮아진다는 것을 확인하였다. 청년층의 빈곤을 완화하기 위해서는 이들의 높은 교육수준과 불안정 고용을 고려한 정책적 지원이 필요하다.

This study examined how employment status changes affects poverty transition of workable youth using 3years panel data from KoWePS(Korea Welfare Panel Study, 2007-2009). Findings and implications of this study as follows. First, although relative poverty rate of aged 18-34 is lower than other age groups, significant amount of youth experienced poverty once in 2007-2009(14.59%). This means that there are some of youth suffering for poverty and the aspect of youth poverty is very dynamic. Second, much of workable poor of youth had high level of education(45.9% in 2009) and they were unemployed or inactive in labor market(55.3% in 2009). These findings consistent with previous studies of youth poverty or youth employment. Third, workable youth who had changed employment status from employed to unemployed or inactive in labor market were likely to enter poverty and less likely to exit from poverty. Moreover youth who were non-standard employed had more possibility to be poor and less possibility to be not poor. These show that employment instability makes youth vulnerable to economic hardship, poverty. The result of this study suggest that anti-poverty programs which are related with the work-related programs and active labor market policy, should consider workable youth who have high level of human capital comparing other ordinary working poor. Because of much of youth are not poor in fixed time point, they can't be supported from existing social assistance program, like National Basic Livelihood Protection Program. As youth who experienced poverty in changing time need social support to prevent long-term poverty, government should contemplate adopting assistance program for workable poor youth.