• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2009

This paper uses a survey data to analyze the age-specific fertility rates, age-specific cumulative fertility rates, and ages of marriage of the five birth cohorts of Korean women born in the 1940s and thereafter. It was found that later cohorts reach their highest age-specific fertility rate at higher ages than earlier cohorts. The age-specific cumulative fertility rates of the 1950s and 1960 cohorts were found to be much lower than those of the immediately preceding cohorts, while those of the 1970s and 1980s cohorts were not different from those of the 1960s cohorts. Women belonging to later cohorts were found to get married at relatively higher ages. The estimation results of the hazard model show that women belonging to later cohorts and those with more schooling have a tendency to get married at higher ages. The effect of the birth cohorts is thought to be due to the economic, social, and cultural changes in Korea during the late 50 years or so. The time interval between a woman‘s marriage and first birth was found not to be affected by either the year of marriage or that of her birth. Also, those who remained employed for some time around their marriage and those with low schooling were found to have a lower first child birth hazard, which implies that married women’s employment status and family income play an important role in their decisions on childbirth.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-26
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• 2008

This research examines the effect of area level characteristics on individual health, particularly focusing on the vulnerable populations in Seoul. We consider adult individuals whose family income is under 1.5 million won, who are aged 65 and over, or who have neither spouse nor job but aged 40 and over as vulnerable populations. Using the 2005 Seoul Citizens' Health Interview Survey, we conducted multilevel analyses to simultaneously investigate the effect of area and individual level characteristics on health. Between-area variance of self-rated health status was greater for the elderly population than for all populations. Area material deprivation index and happiness index were associated with the self-rated health of economically disadvantaged populations. Vulnerable populations showed greater between-area variances in emotional health than the same for all populations. Area happiness index, material deprivation index, the proportion of households below poverty line and street safety showed statistically significant association with emotional health. The effect of area characteristics were particularly salient for the emotional health of elderly population and its between area variance was also notable.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.27-54
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of policy boosting fertility and labor participation rate on potential GDP growth rate. To do this, we employ a growth accounting approach, which decomposes per capita GDP into two parts. The first one is the change of dependency ratio and the other is the change of labor input. The labor input is again decomposed into the qualitative and quantitative parts. The quantitative part considers the change of labor participation rate and working time. The qualitative aspects is based on the trend of productivity of labor. From the scenarios of NSO(National Statistics Office), the effect of the fertility-raising policy on per capita potential GDP growth rate is calculated and projected to the year of 2050. We also forecast the policy effect inducing high labor participating rate of female labor and beyond 55-year old labor. The baseline results show that the per capita GDP growth rate will show mid 4% to the year of 2010, gradually declining to 3.94% by 2020, 3.03% by 2030, 2.41% by 2040. The high fertility rate scenario will not have effects on the potential growth by 2030, but show 0.10%p higher per capita GDP growth rate than that of baseline scenario result. By the high female labor participation policy, the per capita GDP growth rate will reach 0.04%p higher per capita GDP growth rate than that of baseline scenario. Based on the results of this paper, we conclude that the quantitative labor input cannot solely account for the trend decline of potential GDP, and the qualitative aspect, like labor productivity, is much more important element to sustain and boots the economic growth.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.27-55
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• 2008

This paper tries to introduce most recent trends of Korean family policies during Roh, Moo Hyun Government of March 2003-February 2008. Focusing on the gender perspectives, discussions are, for heuristic purposes, centered around three major family issues in S. Korea, one of the most dynamically changing societies in the world: 1) the abolishment of male-centered traditional Family Registry System('the hoju') and the launching of brand-new Family Record Book of five different versions for individual from January 2008; 2) the application of Framework Act On Healthy Homes, a first formal measure to step in various forms of family break-ups these days; and 3) the emergence of Multi-Cultural Family Protection Act, thanks to a massive volume of international marriage migrants from overseas. It can be said that all these family policies are the result of rapidly changing socio-demographic trends into an aging society since 1990s. These trends include late/no marriage with low birth rates, high divorce(and thus remarriage) rates, breakdown of male-breadwinner family model and increase of dual-income family, and a sudden increment of international marriage particularly in rural areas. All in all, overall trends of Korean family life these days that have been taking place so far would provide an excellent exemplary how to deal with an unprecedented societal challenges with the brand-new family policies.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.55-73
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• 2008

This research explores the relationship between gender equity within family and second birth in Korea. For a factor analysis on the intention of having additional children for women with one child, I have used the data from the 2005 National Survey on Marriage and Fertility Trend" of the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Among 516 samples(year of 20-44), women planning to have second birth are 54.7%, and others have answered that they have no intention to have second birth. As a result, main causes affecting progressing to second birth seemed to be family planning on family cycle, such as controlling age gaps between first and second child, composing children genders as they wish etc. The variable of "gender equity between couples" in progressing to second birth are of significant only with married working women group. In case of married working women, more the husband's houseworking hours increase, the more prone to progress to second birth. However, in case of housewives, gender equity level, such as husband's housework hours or share of housework are not of significant influence in progressing to second birth. Not only working mothers but also housewives need the realization of gender equity within the family and the expansion of social support system for work-family life balance.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.75-97
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• 2008

Recently Korea is expected with the decrease of population in working ages and also population structure, especially age structure, has changed as aging goes faster. This study focuses on the relationship between age structure and wage structure to analyzes the cohort size effect on the change of age-earnings profile. Our empirical analysis based on Wright(1991)'s model takes weighted OLS regression using the male worker's data of Ministry of Labor 'Wage Structure Survey'($1990{\sim}2006$). In pooled data, we take the conclusion that the cohort size effect was found in high school and college graduate workers, but the effect is different between them. The labor market entry effect of high school graduate workers is negative(-) and his persistent effect is positive(+). On the other hand, the cohort size effect of college graduate workers have appeared the opposite directions in contrary with the existing results of Welch(1979) and Wright(1991). This results are seen as the possibility that college graduate worker has the benefit of wage level by his relative cohort size in spite of high unemployment of young graduate. It will be the sign of need that we should interest in the change of age structure with balancing the labor supply side approach and the demand side study which the previous studies was mainly tended to focus on.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.85-106
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• 2008

This study explores Korean youths' gender equality consciousness in an attempt to search for a way to increase youth's gender equality consciousness. First, this study carries out a survey of youths' gender equality consciousness based on questionnaires collected from a nationwide sample. Second, this study attempts to identify key points needed to evaluate youths' gender equality consciousness in terms of youths' general values. The data used for this survey is from the survey on youths' values conducted by Korean Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2006 with a sample of 11,240 students from 132 schools nationwide. As a result, youths in 2006 had higher gender equality consciousness than that of previous years(2002). Especially, the support for the fair share of domestic work in the house by youths was significantly increased than the past. However, the survey of youths' values showed clear gender gaps in general attitudes of youths including gender equality consciousness. Female students not only had higher gender equality consciousness than male students but also had higher levels of 'universal value' which would allow one to become sensitive to discrimination and 'self development and achievement value'. In contrast, male students scored high on 'power-oriented value' related to discriminatory attitudes. Therefore, the study recommends focusing on alleviating the gender gaps through school education and other various media education.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.99-125
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• 2008

This article aimed to clear that the systematic bias according to the length of work time exists between estimated work time by self-reported questions used mainly in measuring and calculating the length of work time because of strong points of easy in measuring and so on and diary work time by time-diary method used because of the strong point that can measure more accurate lifetime by recording various activities of respondents during 24 hours in the stream. As the result that analyze the data from Lifetime Use Survey in 2004, the result like the contradiction came that the tendency of overstating work time is rising according as estimated work time increases via estimated work time, whereas the tendency of understating work time is rising according as diary work time increases via diary work time. The reason that the opposite results come despite the data from the same survey is that random errors act in the opposite directions by regression to the mean. Therefore, we cannot emphasize that a man working long hours tends to exaggerate his work hours by the result via estimated work time. That is, the fact that the systematic bias by the increase of work time does not exist is confirmed, and therefore, it is also impossible to raise questions about the accuracy of the data through estimated work time by self-reported questions from the evidence of the existence of that bias.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.107-130
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• 2008

The study of Korean diaspora has focused on migration, adaptation, and identity of overseas Koreans in China, the CIS, Japan, and the United States. However, the contemporary concept of a diaspora is a way of understanding migration, cultural difference, identity politics, and so on. Thus, this more broadly defined diaspora is used to mean a dispersion of people of a common national origin or of common beliefs living in exile. As of 2007, it is estimated that there are about 7 million Koreans living in 170 countries outside the Korean peninsula. Some have left Korea involuntarily and some others voluntarily. But most of them actively try to maintain their identity and culture as Koreans. With the large number of overseas Koreans, there has recently been the recognition of the importance of networking among overseas Koreans in the 21st century. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the necessity of Korean Global Network of overseas Koreans. In doing so, this paper reviewed the case of Jewish and Chinese network. Then, this paper indicates the problems in the networking of overseas Koreans and suggests the policy implications for Korean Global Network. Above all, there should be changes in the government's policy towards overseas Koreans in the direction of organizing networks of overseas Koreans to coexist with the mother country. The government should adopt a policy to restore trust in overseas Koreans. It should take a pragmatic approach to the mutual interests in the socioeconomic relations instead of taking a political approach to overseas Koreans.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.127-146
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• 2008

Over the past four decades reproductive behavior has changed slowly in much of the African countries. The average total fertility rate has fallen from six or more to near five today. Between 1960 and 2000 the largest fertility decline occurred in such Northern African countries as Algeria, Libya, and Morocco. The mortality rate has decreased in most African countries. The purpose of this study is to review the pattern of demographic transition in African countries. At first, this study focuses on the fertility transition. In Africa, the total fertility rate has decreased from 6.59 to 4.85 between 1960 and 2000. The mortality rate has also decreased in most of African countries. It is also interesting to find that there is a clear difference among African countries. In terms of infant mortality rate, Libya shows the lowest rate(17), while Mali and Somalia remain still high rate(142 and 133, respectively). This study tests a path model in which infant mortality rate acts as an intermediate variable between three socioeconomic variables and the fertility rate. The findings of this paper substantiate some of our hypotheses on the interrelationships among socioeconomic variables, infant mortality rate, and fertility rate. The result also shows the indirect effects of socioeconomic variables on fertility rate via infant mortality.