• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.77-105
• /
• 2023

This paper investigates the management stability of KOSPI-listed energy public enterprises from the perspective of median voter theory. We analyze the profitability and stability of five energy public enterprises during the period 2011~2022, and conduct an empirical analysis to determine whether they are related to the preferences of median voters who can represent the general public. Our analysis of the profitability and stability of the energy public enterprises shows that the stability of their has been deteriorating in recent years. The results of the empirical analysis also show that the management stability of the energy public enterprises is related to the preference of median voter. Specifically, they indicate that when the median voter's income is smaller than the average income, the profitability of the utility decreases and the debt ratio increases. This paper suggests that from the median voter's point of view, excessive utility and energy bills may strengthen the incentives for governments and politicians to suppress rate increases, leading to lower profitability and higher debt for public enterprises.