• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.25-58
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• 2015

This paper compares income and consumption inequalities in Korea and applies the permanent income hypothesis to interpret the linkage between the two inequalities. Income inequality has been increasing since 1990 while consumption inequality had been decreasing until the early 2000s when the two inequalities started to co-move. Permanent income hypothesis explains reasonably well the consumption pattern in the recent period, which reflects the increased access to asset markets by the Korean households. Consequently, the co-movement of income and consumption inequalities in the recent period implies that inequality in permanent income components are fluctuating.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.361-401
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• 2021

This paper sets up a two agent small open economy with monopolistically competitive firms and catching up with the Joneses to investigate the labor and capital Laffer curve, taking into account aging population along the line of Auray et al. (2016), Galí and Monacelli (2005), and Trabandt and Uhlig (2011). The paper finds that the higher the market power of firms is, the larger the consumption inequality between asset holders and non-asset holders is in the economy with aging population. It also finds that there is room for government to increase the tax revenue by raising tax rates under the economy with higher markup, as households will work more hours to compensate for their loss of labor income to tax hikes. The expected maximum tax revenue is likely to shrink with progressive taxations, since non-asset holders with additional dividend income work less and consume more. The paper finds that the fiscal multiplier decreases with the degree of progressive redistribution.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.37-46
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• 2011

Using the 1987-2008 quarterly aggregated data of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, this study investigated the factors influencing household saving rate. The independent variables in the AR regression model were the GDP growth rate, shares of the total household expenditure allocated to tax & social insurance, and education, the variables reflecting the conditions of the asset market including interest rate, stock market index, and real estate price index, and the variables representing the social economic conditions including the index of aging and income inequality. Among the independent variables interest rate, stock market index, and income inequality were found to be significantly associated with the household saving rate. These results suggested that the redistribution and financial market policies favorable to savers may be effective for raising the household saving rate.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.437-463
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• 2013

As polarization and class reproduction between generations are considered to be serious problems in Korean society, increasing number of assortative mating, which means marrying between homogeneous family background, income class, and educational background, is on the spotlight socially. Some worry that the increase of assortative mating can reinforce closure of social mobility so it deepens inequality and limits class mobility between generations. This research analyzes the effects of accomplishment characteristics of husbands and wives and ascriptive characteristics of parents which consist the concept of assortative mating, on income, consumption, and assets those represent economic status of a family. The purpose of this research is to suggest empirical understanding on the role of assortative mating that affect on inequality within generations and income mobility between generations in Korean society. In the result of multiple regression analysis on the effect of assortative mating on income, consumption, and assets, high educational background was the factor that increase income and consumption level as accomplishment characteristics of assortative mating. As ascriptive characteristics of assortative mating, educational homogeneous of fathers was the factor that increased asset level. While accomplishment characteristics affect income and consumption, ascriptive characteristics of homogeneous had significant effect on assets. Thus, it was found that transfer between generations had effects around asset rather than income. In particular, ascriptive characteristics in young husbands and wives aged 20s or 30s had significant effect only on the assets.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.199-237
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• 2006

The relationship between growth and distribution, which has been revealed through many empirical evidences, is that growth is distribution neutral on average and high asset inequality could be a hindrance of economic growth. The growth versus distribution dichotomy is false, as poverty reduction requires blending policy of growth and distribution both theoretically and empirically. At this present, the pro-poor growth policy, which has been recommended by the World Bank, should be urgently needed in Korea to achieve the reduction of absolute poverty through the harmony between growth and distribution. However, it is not easy to expect the reduction of absolute poverty if the Korean government, in means of reducing absolute inequality, pursues anti-polarization policy. Specifically, we cannot deny the existence of negative correlation between absolute poverty and absolute inequality on average.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.35-59
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate determinants of the saving behaviors, perceptions of economic situation and attitudes on the program of the Individual Development Account program participants in Korea. Data used for this article was the survey on the participants of 'Seoul Hope-plus Saving Account Program' implemented by Seoul Welfare Foundation for 3 years. In order to consider variances within-individual and between-individuals, Hierarchical Linear model is used for this study. The results are as follows. First, In demographic factors, disability, gender, education level, marriage status are significant factors on the effectiveness of the program. Second, the participation on the program has positive effects on the conception on the living standard and economic status of the participants. However, total amount of savings excluding savings on 'Hope plus' has decreased. The household income is positively related with the amount of savings. Thus, it is necessary to consider individuals' socio-demographic factors to planning the asset-based program.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.207-216
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors contributing to the wage inequality between employment of persons with disabilities. Among the raw data provided by the Korea Employment Development institute for persons with disabilities, 3,546 cases were studied, excluding cases in which major variables were missing, in the 『2018 survey on the employment status of the disabled in business』. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25 and STATA 14 to analyze wage inequality among employment companies for persons with disabilities. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25 and STATA 14 to analyze wage inequality in employment companies for persons with disabilities. The study found that factors contributing to the wage inequality in employment companies for the disabled include 'minimum level of education'12.63%, 'asset level'6.37%, 'level of work required'4.87%, 'ratio of female employment'3.30%, 'sales profit'2.33%, 'education training for employees'1.19%, 'labor union membership rate'0.67%, 'work type'0.42%, 'average working hours'0.41%, 'recognition of work level of disabled people'0.34%, 'recognition that employment of disabled people is helpful to companies'0.23%, 'positive recognition of work cost of disabled people'0.17%. Based on these results, this study proposed access at the level of employment business for the disabled, social level, and worker level for the disabled.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.17-28
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• 2007

The purpose of the study was to provide informations about the financial status of elderly households using financial ratios. The data was obtained from 2000 national households, consisting of 4,824 of elderly households. Descriptive tatistics were used to analyze the financial ratios and eleven different financial ratios. The results of this study were as follows. The financial status of elderly households need to be analyzed in detail according to age group, income level and asset level. In addition, some financial ratios already developed in previous studies may not applicable which necessitates the development of financial ratios specifically for application to elderly households for finanical counselors. The study results suggest the possibility of inequality among elderly households. The following studies need to focus on the limitation of these studies.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2023

Purpose - Since COVID-19, the government's expansion of liquidity to stimulate the economy has resulted in an increase in private debt and an increase in asset prices of such as real estate and stocks. The recent sharp rise of the US Federal fund rate and tapering by the Fed have led to a fast rise in domestic interest rates, putting a heavy burden on the Korean economy, where the level of household debt is very high. Excessive household debt might have negative effects on the economy, such as shrinking consumption, economic recession, and deepening economic inequality. Therefore, now more than ever, it is necessary to identify the causes of the increase in household debt. Design/methodology/approach - Main methodology is regression analysis. Dependent variable is household loans from depository institutions. Independent variables are consumer price index, unemployment rate, household loan interest rate, housing sales price index, and composite stock price index. The sample periods are from 2017 to May 2022, comprising 72 months of data. The comparative analysis period before and after COVID-19 is from January 2017 to December 2019 for the pre-COVID-19 period, and from Jan 2020 to December 2022 for the post-COVID-19 period. Findings - Looking at the results of the regression analysis for the entire period, it was found that increases in the consumer price index, unemployment rate, and household loan interest rates decrease household loans, while increases in the housing sales price index increase household loans. Research implications or Originality - Household loans of depository institutions are mainly made up of high-credit and high-income borrowers with good repayment ability, so the risk of the financial system is low. As household loans are closely linked to the real estate market, the risk of household loan defaults may increase if real estate prices fall sharply.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2020

This study examines the poverty indicators in Northeast region of Thailand by adopting the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) methodology and the national survey of Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) of Thailand. Data are collected from three different districts in Khon Kaen province namely: Khok Po Chai, Sam Sung, and Nam Pong. The sample size is 187 households. Data analysis uses Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression approach and includes 7 dimensions of poverty (health, environment, education, economy, Thai value, asset? empowerment, and digital literacy) with a total of 41 indicators. This study has found that poverty indicators in Khon Kaen province remains centered around the aspects of health and employment dimensions. While a change of family structure in the Thai society since 1960s reduces the family size, household saving substantially increases over the years. The effects of health dimension in poverty, on the other hand, appears on the other poverty dimension of Thai value, which include (1) a bad living habit of head of household (smoke or alcohol consumption) that links with illness and disease, (2) religious practice, and (3) chronic illness. Lastly, there are income gaps of different careers in the area, which suggests the issue of income inequality.