• 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.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.85-93
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• 2022

As of the end of 2019, the total population nationwide was 51,849,861, and over the past five years, the population per household has decreased by 1.52% annually from 2.45 in 2015 to 2.31 in 2019. Looking at the current status of population distribution by age group, Busan metropolitan city had the highest proportion of senior citizens aged 65 or older at 18.2%, and Sejong Special Self-Governing city had the lowest at 9.4%. In particular, as of 2019, the population of the mobility handicapped was 15,219,000 nationwide, showing a ratio of about 29.4% of the total population. Therefore, it is important to secure the right to move according to the mobile facilities so that the mobility handicapped can move safely and conveniently. Against this background, this study places value on transportation welfare facilities centered on the mobility handicapped for safe and convenient movement, and in particular, in proposing measures to cope with the entry of an aging society and the continuous increase of the mobility handicapped, the transportation facilities, The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of welfare facilities on the mobility handicapped and suggest implications. As a research method, the results of statistical analysis methods were presented through major preceding studies and expert surveys.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.27-45
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• 1990

Two opposing views prevail regarding the economic impact of rural out-migration on the rural areas of origin. The optimistic neoclassical view argues that rapid rural out-migration is not detrimental to the income and welfare of the rural areas of origin, whereas Lipton (1980) argues the opposite. We developed our own alternative model for rural to urban migration, appropriate for rapidly developing economies such as Korea's. This model, which adopts international trade theories of nontraded goods and Dutch Disease to rural to urban migration issues, argues that rural to urban migration is caused mainly by two factors: first, the unprofitability of farming, and second, the decrease in demand for rural nontraded goods and the increase in demand for urban nontraded goods. The unprofitability of farming is caused by the increase in rural wages, which is induced by increasing urban wages in booming urban manufacturing sectors, and by the fact that the cost increases in farming cannot be shifted to consumers, because farm prices are fixed worldwide and because the income demand elasticity for farm products is very low. The demand for nontraded goods decreases in rural and increases in urban areas because population density and income in urban areas increase sharply, while those in rural areas decrease sharply, due to rapid rural to urban migration. Given that the market structure for nontraded goods-namely, service sectors including educational and health facilities-is mostly in monopolistically competitive, and that the demand for nontraded goods comes only from local sources, the urban service sector enjoys economies of scale, and can thus offer services at cheaper prices and in greater variety, whereas the rural service sector cannot enjoy the advantages offered by scale economies. Our view concerning the economic impact of rural to urban migration on rural areas of origin agrees with Lipton's pessimistic view that rural out-migration is detrimental to the income and welfare of rural areas. However, our reasons for the reduction of rural income are different from those in Lipton's model. Lipton argued that rural income and welfare deteriorate mainly because of a shortage of human capital, younger workers and talent resulting from selective rural out-migration. Instead, we believe that rural income declines, first, because a rapid rural-urban migration creates a further shortage of farm labor supplies and increases rural wages, and thus reduces further the profitability of farming and, second, because a rapid rural-urban migration causes a further decline of the rural service sectors. Empirical tests of our major hypotheses using Korean census data from 1966, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985 support our own model much more than the neoclassical or Lipton's models. A kun (county) with a large out-migration had a smaller proportion of younger working aged people in the population, and a smaller proportion of highly educated workers. But the productivity of farm workers, measured in terms of fall crops (rice) purchased by the government per farmer or per hectare of irrigated land, did not decline despite the loss of these youths and of human capital. The kun having had a large out-migration had a larger proportion of the population in the farm sector and a smaller proportion in the service sector. The kun having had a large out-migration also had a lower income measured in terms of the proportion of households receiving welfare payments or the amount of provincial taxes paid per household. The lower incomes of these kuns might explain why the kuns that experienced a large out-migration had difficulty in mechanizing farming. Our policy suggestions based on the tests of the currently prevailing hypotheses are as follows: 1) The main cause of farming difficulties is not a lack of human capital, but the in­crease in production costs due to rural wage increases combined with depressed farm output prices. Therefore, a more effective way of helping farm economies is by increasing farm output prices. However, we are not sure whether an increase in farm output prices is desirable in terms of efficiency. 2) It might be worthwhile to attempt to increase the size of farmland holdings per farm household so that the mechanization of farming can be achieved more easily. 3) A kun with large out-migration suffers a deterioration in income and welfare. Therefore, the government should provide a form of subsidization similar to the adjustment assistance provided for international trade. This assistance should not be related to the level of farm output. Otherwise, there is a possibility that we might encourage farm production which would not be profitable in the absence of subsidies. 4) Government intervention in agricultural research and its dissemination, and large-scale social overhead projects in rural areas, carried out by the Korean government, might be desirable from both efficiency and equity points of view. Government interventions in research are justified because of the problems associated with the appropriation of knowledge, and government actions on large-scale projects are justified because they required collective action.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.1
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• pp.179-188
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• 1983

This study was conducted to find out the most fabourable breeding structure for the maximum genetic gain of live weight, the most important economic traits of Korean native cattle, in order to achieve the improvement goals for meat productivity of the native cattle early and effectively. For estimating genetic gain and population mean changes, the following factors were investigated under the assumation that 675,000 heads of over-two-year old cows were maintained each generation and 15% of the cows were culled every year: 1. The proportion of cow population inseminated by A I bulls; 30, 40, 50, 60, 70% 2. The number of semen doses produced from each A I bull per year; 5,000, 7,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 doses. 3. The average body weight of A I bulls; 480, 520, 600, 640, 680, 720kg/18 months of age. The estimated results are summarized as follows: 1. The genetic gain of live weight is affected greately by the levels of A I bulls' body weight and the genetic gain was estimated 28.66~36.31kg per generation. 2. The proportion of genetic gain from sire selection were estimated 80~90%. 3. When the average body weight of A I bulls increase 40kg per generation and more than 50% of cow population is inseminated by A I bulls, then the phenotypic mean value of live weight of bulls at the age of 18 months and heifers at the age of 2 years are expected to be reached 600kg and 520kg in the A I population; 560kg and 480kg in the whole population, respectively, after 5th generation.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.177-201
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• 2022

Following the adoption of the global plant conservation strategies at the Conference of the Parties for Biodiversity Conservation, diligent actions to achieve each targets are actively carried out. In particular, the need for ecological conservation research to achieve targets 2 and 7 of GSPC-2020 has increased. The priority taxa to accomplish the objectives of GSPC-2020 are rare and endemic plants. In particular, endemic plants with limited distribution in specific regions are evaluated to face a high risk of extinction. To address the necessity to preserve endemic plants, we investigated the distribution of Prunus choreiana H. T. Im, a Korean endemic plant. After that, we examined the vegetational environment of the habitat of P. choreiana and evaluated its population structure. The productivity of its fruits and the effects of pollinators on fruit production were evaluated as well. The fruiting ratio was calculated based on the number of flowers produced. Lastly, we observed the annual growth characteristics of P. choreiana. The habitats of P. choreiana did not show a specific type of vegetation. All of them were located in a limestone area of Gangwon-do in the central Korean Peninsula and occupied a site where the coverage of the tree layer and the sub-tree layer was not high or did not exist. The population structure of P. choreiana contained a high proportion of mature plants capable of producing fruits and a low proportion of seedlings and Juvenile plants. We found that the production of fruits required pollinators and was affected by the performance of each plant. Although P. choreiana produces many flowers, only a maximum of 20% and only 2-6% on average bear fruits. These flowering characteristics may be due to pollinators' low abundance and activity during the flowering season (between mid-March and early April), suggesting that many flowers are needed to attract more pollinators. We rarely observed the re-establishment of seedlings in the population of P. choreiana. Despite that, we predict the population to persist owing to its long lifespan and periodic production of numerous fruits. However, if the tree layer and sub-tree layer in competing status with P. choreiana increase their crown density, they are expected to inhibit the growth of P. choreiana and affect the risk of its extinction. Therefore, the current changes in the vegetational environment of the habitats are expected to decrease the number and extent of P. choreiana in the long term. The results of this study may serve as primary and important data necessary for the achievement of GSPC-2020 objectives.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-21
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• 1989

For the analysis of mortality differentials by socioeconomic factors based on death registration data, we have considered four variables : place of residence, educational attainment, marital status and occupation. The age range adopted were 5 to 64 years of age for place of residence, and 25 to 64 years of age for the other factors. The mortality differentials by socioeconomic variables were clear and in the expected direction: mortality levels among urban residents, better educated groups, and non- agricultural workers were lower than among the other sub- groups. The average mortality level in rural areas is much higher than in urban areas : the rural mortality levels were at least double the urban levels at ages below 40 years, but became smaller after age 40, and no clear differentials by urban I rural residence increased until 1974~76 for the both sexes, but since the then differentials have declined slowley for both sexes. This changing pattern of mortality differentials by place of residence can be explained by historical socioeconomic development : the development generally started in urban areas, and rural areas followed : in the course of socioeconomic development the differences between the death rates in the two areas became smaller and finally the mortality levels in the two areas became nearly the same, as is found in the developed countries nowadays. The inverse relationships between mortality and educational level became stronger between the periods 1970~72 and 1984~86, but showed the same atterns of mortality differentials in both period : larger differences among the younger age groups, and for males, than among the older age groups, and for females. The increasing mortality differentials in the fourteen-year period between 1970~72 and 1984~86 were caused by inadequate living standards of the non- educated, whose proportion in the total population, however, dropped sharply during that period. Also, the much lower proportions of low - educated groups or of persons with no formal education among males than females helped to establish the clearly pronounced differentials. The mortality differentials by marital status in Korea showed the usual pattern : the mortality rates of the married in each age and sex group were clearly lower than those of others during the fourteen-year period between 1970~72 and 1984~86. In Korean society which remotes universal marriage, the never married recorded especially high death rates, presumably mainly because of ill - health, but also possibly because of the stigma attached to celibacy. However, the mortality differentials by marital status changed with the changes in the proportionate distribution by marital status during the period : the differences between the death rates of the married and never married groups became smaller, the proportion of the never married group increased : in contrast, the differences between mortalities of the married and widowed / divorced / separated groups widened, with the decrease in the proportion of the later group ; this tendency was perticularly marked for females. Occupational groups also showed clear mortality differences : among four occupational groups mortality of males was highest among agricultural workers and lowest among 'professional, admi-nistrative and clerical workers, However, when the death rates were standardized by educational level, the death rates by occupation in age group 45~64 years were nearly the same (excet for the mixed group consisting of unemployed, students, military servicemen and unknown). Therefore, the clear mortality dfferentials by occupation in Korea resulted mainly from the differences in educational level between different occupation groups. Since socioeconomic characteristics are related to each other, the net effect of each variable was examined. Each of the three variables - ducational level, marital status and urban / rural residence affected significantly Korean adult mortality when the effects of the other variables were controlled. Among the three variables educational level was the most important factor for the determination of the adult mortality level. When male's occupation was added to the above three variables, the effects of occupation on adult mortality were notably smaller after control for the effects of the other three variables while the net effects of these three variables were nearly the same irrespectively whether occupation was included or not. Thus, the differences in educational level (mainly), place of residence and marital status bring out the clear differences in observed mortality levels by occupation.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.151-164
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• 2010

Objective:Korea has 3,170 islands with about 188,000 inhabitants. These inhabitants' needs for health services might go unmet because of geographic isolation, slimmer availability of health services, and higher proportion of the elderly compared with the mainland population. Unmet health service needs might result in serious health problems for these island residents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate their unmet health service needs and related factors from population of Nowha island. Methods: The survey was conducted from July 30 to August 1 by trained interviewers. Target population were residents in Nohwa island and the sampling method was incomplete quota sampling. General characteristics, socioeconomic status, utilization of health service, and unmet medical service needs were investigated. First univariate and then multivariate logistic analyses were done for the statistical analysis. Results: 324 residents were surveyed and the proportion of unmet health services needs was 26.5%. People living alone and of female sex had increased health services needs based on univariable analysis. From the multivariate analysis, those living alone increased the health services needs. Self-determined low socioeconomic status and medical aid increased the proportion of unmet medical needs, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion:In Nowha island, those who are elder, and of lower socioeconomic status had much higher unmet medical needs. The results suggest the need for more social support by qualified health services to solve this unmet medical needs problem.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.113-141
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• 2000

The aim of this paper is to project the state of the labor farce and employment in Korea from 2000 to 2005. The labor market in Korea is experiencing significant changes with the rapid development of Information and Telecommunication Technology (ICT) and the transition of the Korean economy into a knowledge-based economy. On the labor supply side, it is expected that the growth of the labor force will be sluggish; baby boomers will become the middle-aged, while the proportion of senior citizens, the highly educated and the female labor force will grow fast. These changes will alter the human resources management system in business sectors. Moreover, the permanent employment relationship, the hierarchy system and the seniority-based wage system are all expected to change. On the labor demand side, the employment share in highly skilled. knowledge-intensive industries will grow faster than the rest of the economy in tandem with the quickly growing output share of these industries. Especially, more jobs will be created in the ICT industries. The proportion of labor in highly skilled and professional occupations will also grow faster than in other occupations. At the same time, the employment share of female workers will grow more quickly than that of the male workers. These changes, however, may worsen income inequalities and/or increase the unemployment rate when workers do not have the suitable skills or knowledge required by the knowledge-based economy. To avoid this, it is necessary for the government to build up a lifetime learning system for workers.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.340-359
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• 1994

This study intends to describe the characteristics of the transformation of the rural society by tracing the changing social and economic processes of traditional clan villiage (Yeolmi-ri, Silchon-myeon, Kwangju-gun, Kyunggi-province) in the suburbs of Seoul Metropolitan Area. Rural society has experienced serious change of the social structure by the ever expanding urbanization and industrialization since 1960's. The suburbs of Seoul Metropolitan Area is the representative case area of such transformation. This study analyzed various chracteristics of population structure of a villiage, the processes of residential movement and the occupational shift of each household of the villiage in terms of household's life-history collected by interviewing with each household. And the whole households of a villiage is divided by two groups of the native clan group and the non-dan in-migrant group. The results of this study are summarized as follows. 1) This villiage is located within a lineal distance of 40km and a time distance of about 30 to 40 minutes, adjoined dy the Joongbu(중부) national highway, the Kyungchoong (경충) industrial road, the local road between Yangpyuna(양평) and Gonjiam(곤지암) and having a advantageous iocational linkage to Seoul capital city. 2) It is a typical traditional dan villiae constituted of dan family Gu(구) one of whose ancestors had appointed to the prime minister of Chosun Dynasty, and until 1979, 56 out of 60 families of the villiage households were clan families. 3) Since 1979, as the villiage invaded by the out-movement of the small scale manufacturing industries from Seoul capital city, labours moved in this vallige from outside and increased villiage size up to 203 households in 1993, consequently the constitutional proportion between the native clan group and the non-clan in-migrant group was reversed up to 28% vs 72% deepening the sociological heterogeneity. 4) Because of the small scale of industries in this villiage and the vicinity with the city of Seoul, the population turnover of this villiage is very high. The turnover frequency is firstly high within same administrative district of gun(군) level and secondly high between this villiage and the city of Seoul. Thus short-distance movement is identified. 5) There is a close correlation between the residential movement and the occupational shift. The most numbers of non-farm native group have the experiences of migration while the members of native farming group don't shift both the job and the place of residence. The inmigrant group had several migration experiences but few occupational shifts. Thus occupatioanl shift is high for the native group while residential shift is high for the in-migrant group. It is concluded that the change proceeded in Metropolitan suburbs was not directed to form the traditional rural village as 'gesund Gebiet' with respect to the ballance among the economic, cultural and environmental adequency.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-54
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• 2011

The main purposes of this study are to describe regional differentials of the rate and to explore factors impacting on the regional differentials among the elderly's suicide rate in the Republic of Korea. Suicide data among 16 provinces from 2000 to 2008 were used for the statistical analyses. Six independent variables, such as crude divorce rate, GRDP per capita, welfare budget proportion, number of leisure facilities, number of medical and housing welfare facilities, and number of sports facilities are introduced for the multiple regression analyses. Elderly suicide rate, female elderly's suicide rate, and male elderly's suicide rate are used for the dependent variables. The findings of this study are as follows: Elderly's suicide rate has been increased constantly since 2000 and regional differentials of the elderly's suicide have been existed over time. According to the multiple regressions analyses, number of sports facilities(${\beta}$=-521), welfare budget proportion, and number of leisure facilities(${\beta}$=-219) have shown statistically significant negative relationships with the elderly's suicide rate. On the other hand, number of medical facilities(${\beta}$=0.550), crude divorce rate(${\beta}$=0336) have shown statistically significant positive relationships with the elderly's suicide rate in the Republic of Korea. Finally, some policy implications for alleviating the elderly's suicide rate are introduced and discussed.