• Korea Trade Review
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.51-67
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• 2017

This study analyzes the relationship between globalization and income inequality. The empirical model is developed based on Kuznets' hypothesis of the inverse U curve. The effects of factor abundancy and globalization which is characterized by trade and FDI on income inequality are analyzed. 127 member countries of WTO are classified into 4 groups according to GNI. The period of analysis is 21 years from 1995 to 2015. Results show that 3 groups of countries excluding one group that is high income countries supports Kuznets' hypothesis which is the inverse U curve. Secondly, expansion of trade decreases income inequality of middle income countries but increases high and low income countries. Thirdly, FDI increases income inequality of middle and low income countries. Finally, the increase in capital abundancy lowers income inequality because the capital accumulation increases the productivity of labor.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.217-230
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• 2019

This study investigates the impacts of international trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) on income distribution both nationally as well as provincially in Vietnam. This study uses panel data of 63 provinces in Vietnam for the period of 2008-2016 and a time series dataset from 1992 to 2016. We found the following results. First, the income distribution is significantly affected by per capita income. When we consider the Kuznets hypothesis, the intra-provincial income inequality of Vietnam's 63 provinces follows a regular U-shaped relationship. In contrast, the income distribution in Vietnam exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship between the Gini coefficient and per capita income. Second, the inward FDI tends to reduce income gaps in each province through the employment of predominantly low-skilled workers. FDI, however, seems to increase income inequality throughout Vietnam. This result is potentially due to the strong concentration of FDI into a very few areas. Third, the effect of trade openness exhibits a decrease in inequality both within each province and in the whole country of Vietnam.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1445-1461
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• 2009

The primary purpose of this study is to find policy implications by examining the trends in income inequality of the Korean aged and factors contributing to these. For analysis, this study used the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 9th wave of 'Korean Labour and Income Panel Study'. The findings are as follows. First, total income inequality of the elderly rose greatly after 1998 and is decreasing after 2001. Secondly, the Gini coefficient decomposition by income sources shows that earned income was the factor most responsible for the income inequality of the elderly. But its influences of the elderly income inequality is gradually decreasing during analysing periods. Third, assets income and public pensions have a great effects on the elderly income inequality. They increases the income inequality of the elderly households. Forth, interfamily transfer income and public assistance income reduces income inequality of the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.165-172
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• 2008

Objectives : Despite various government initiatives, including the expansion of national health insurance coverage, health inequality has been a key health policy issue in South Korea during the past decade. This study describes and compares the extent of the total health inequality and the income-related health inequality over time among Korean adults. Methods : This study employs the 1998, 2001 and 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANESs). The self-assessed health (SAH) ordinal responses, measured on a five-point scale, resealed to cardinal values to measure the health inequalities with using interval regression. The boundaries of each threshold for the interval regression analysis were obtained from the empirical distribution of the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) valuation weights estimated from the 2005 KNHANES. The final model predicting the individuals' health status included age, gender, educational attainment, occupation, income, and the regional prosperity index. The concentration index was used to measure and analyze the health inequality. Results : The KNHANES data showed an unequal distribution of the total health inequality in favor of the higher income groups, and this is getting worse over time (0.0327 in 1998, 0.0393 in 2001 and 0.0924 in 2005). The income-related health inequality in 2005 was 0.0278, indicating that 30.1% of the total health inequality can be attributed to income. Conclusions : The findings indicate there are health inequalities across the sociodemographic and income groups despite the recent government's efforts. Further research is warranted to investigate what potential policy actions are necessary to decrease the health inequality in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-34
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• 2018

This paper attempts to provide a new theoretical approach and an empirical analysis based on it to interrogate the structure of household income inequality and its changes in South Korea in the 2010s. Previous research on inequality in sociology, labor economics and feminism has focused on local inequalities which derive from specific spaces of society. For a comprehensive understanding of social inequality in totality, it requires a discussion of global inequality beyond local inequalities. Thus, a synthetic approach that integrates local inequalities, encompassing class, the labor market, population, and family. By using regression-based inequality decomposition, we decompose the contribution of gender, level of education, employment status, occupation, household composition and wealth to household income inequality. This paper shows that household and wealth, as well as the factors discussed in the previous research, are significant factors affecting household income inequality in South Korea.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.73-85
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• 2020

As an effort to achieve sustainable development and increase people's welfare, financial inclusion has become the policy agenda of many countries. Therefore, the effect of financial inclusion on economic growth, poverty, income inequality, and financial stability in several countries in Asia has become the goal and this is the subject of this study. Financial inclusion is measured by 3 dimensions, namely banking penetration, access to banking services, and use of banking services. Poverty ratio below the national poverty line and the Gini coefficient are used as indicators of poverty and income inequality. Financial stability is measured by Bank Z-Score and bank nonperforming loans. The results from the hypothesis test shows that all dimensions of financial stability simultaneously have significant influence on economic growth, poverty, income inequality, and financial stability. On the other hand, the partial impact of financial inclusion dimension on economic growth, poverty alleviation, income inequality, and financial stability in ten countries of Asia has not been optimal. The derived results of this study is required to be interpreted and considered by the Governments of each country in developing strategies for increasing financial inclusion, so that the policy to achieve sustainable development and enhancement of people's welfare can be achieved.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.25-47
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• 2008

The Fishing Communities (so-called Uchongae) in Korea was legally established in 1962. It has been gradually expanded by quantity, and we have total 1,969 communities in 2006. The major establishment purpose of Uchongae was put 2 functions. The first function is to make up the double industry structure in coastal region, and second function is to make economical condition for Uchongae. Nevertheless the Fishing Communities System in Korea was not successfully developed after first beginning. The Income gap have become heavily between fishing area and non - fishing area, including agricultural area. The income gap has been due to rapid industrialization and urbanization in Korea. And the income gap even have become heavily among Uchongaes. In this paper, It have been researched the degree of Income inequality among Uchongaes in Korea during 1986-2006. The income inequality degree was analyzed by Gini coefficient and Mean Log Deviation (MLD) using Lorenz Curve. According to analysis result, the Gini coefficient of Uchongaes in Korea has been about 2-times high from 0.0847 to 0.1770 during 20 years. And the MLD has been 5.4 times from 0.0125 to 0.0679 during same periods. This means to more wide the general Income Inequality among the Uchongaes in Korea. Especially, It means to more wide the gap of high ranking Uchongaes and low ranking Uchongaes that MLD index multiplier has been more high.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.49-57
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• 2018

This study aims to identify the inequalities and characteristics of health care expenditure of the elderly and non-elderly households by income level. As a result, health care expenditure of elderly households was statistically significantly higher than that of non-elderly households. As a result of calculating the concentration index of health care expenditure by income level, inequality was higher in order of non-elderly households, elderly households, and total households. In order to confirm the effect of health expenditure on household income inequality, we calculated the concentration index of income excluding total health care expenditure from total income. As a result, inequality was higher in order of elderly households, whole households, and non-elderly households. There was not much difference in inequality of health care expenditure among elderly households and non-elderly households. And, the health care expenditure of elderly households was much higher than that of non-elderly households. Also, inequality of health care expenditure by income group was serious. There should be no cases where the medical care support policy for elderly households can not use necessary medical services.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.3-51
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• 2002

Income inequality in Korea has increased after the economic crisis, and the main reason for the widening of income distribution is due to the increase of the unemployed when analyzed using the Family Icome and Expenditure Survey(FIES). However, income inequality has not decreased although the rate of unemployment decreased after 2000. Further data bases for income-related statistics are necessary to examine the exact causes of changing income inequality as a whole since the FIES covers only statistics on urban employees' wage and salary in Korea.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.387-401
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of income inequality caused by capital and wage incomes under globalized economic system in Korea. Empirical evidences which are obtained by cointegration methodology reveal that the effects resulted from capital and wage incomes to income inequality are alternative between short-run and long-run. And, the wage income has stronger impact on income inequality than the capital income. This might be occured as a result of that inbound foreign capital seems not to contribute to economic activity in real sector. It also has to be mentioned that the income inequality is negatively influenced by international trade in the short run and in the long run as well. To this end, it would be concluded that well-organized distribution system for wage income should be established, accordingly. And, forward and backward linkages in exporting industry have to be re-evaluated in order to improve income inequality in Korea.