• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.31-64
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• 2024

The recent trend of declining consciousness regarding the necessity of unification among South Korean citizens is evident. Does a cohort effect exist in this downward trend in the perception of the necessity of unification? The purpose of this study is to analyze whether birth cohorts statistically significantly influence the consciousness of the necessity of unification. To this end, the hierarchical age-period-cohort (HAPC) model was employed as the analytical model, and data from the Unification Consciousness Survey conducted by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies from 2007 to 2021 was used. The analysis results showed evidence that the progress of economic inequality at the birth cohort level affected the decline in the perception of the necessity of unification. The 1980s birth cohort, which faced socioeconomic difficulties during their social advancement due to income and wealth polarization, is observed to have a distinctly negative perception of unification requiring massive financial resources, compared to the 1960s and 1970s birth cohorts.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.396-405
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• 2017

Main purpose of this study is to analyze determinants of household debt among middle and old individuals aged between 32 and 76 that include Korean baby-boomers(born between 1955 and 1963), using a HAPC (Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort) model and Korean Welfare Panel Study 2006-2016. This study includes 86,056 individuals. Research findings indicate that aging and period effects have statistically significant relationships with household debt levels, however, cohort effects including a baby-boomer generation do not. While household debt increases by 3,530,000 Korean won as age increases by one year, the rate of increase in household debt reduces as individual ages. In addition, employment and health status at the individual level have significant effects on household debt levels. The unemployed are more likely than the employed to have high household debt levels while unhealthy people tend than healthy people to have high household debt levels.