• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.106 no.4
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• pp.497-508
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• 2017

This study conducted to examine about the income inequality and bi-polarization for forestry household. For this purpose, Gini coefficient and Atkinson index were used to analyze the income inequality for forestry household. Also, DER index were employed to show their income bi-polarization. Before using these methodologies, forestry household income was divided into three parts that was forestry income, non forestry business income and transfer income. And then, income inequality and bi-polarization were analyzed respectively. The result shows that forestry household income inequality was higher than whole household inequality. Apart from transfer income, forestry household income, forestry income and non forestry business income inequality was aggravated. At the same time, these tendency was able to observe the bi-polarization for forestry household income and other income sources.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.1-28
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• 2007

Upon analyzing several Korean Income data sets, it is confirmed that the relationship between Gini coefficient and bi-polarization measure (EGR) is empirically not different although they each come from different theoretical basis. Furthermore, it is difficult to state that the degree of polarization of income distribution, measured by DER, in Korea has deepened more than that of income inequality, estimated by Gini coefficient, in the periods of before and after the economic crisis.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.51-74
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• 2014

Over the past few years Korea has achieved rapid economic growth, while the deepening polarization of income has negatively affected Korea economy and society. It can be the reason of this negative effect on economy that the increased income by the economic growth has not been distributed socially, but overly focused on one part of social class. One of the important and powerful solution of social polarization could be the strengthening of the income distribution. In these circumstances, the social interest and discussion on the universal welfare system and on the basic income as the means of income redistribution have been increasing. In this study, a system dynamic analysis was conducted to find how an universal cash payment as basic income providing cash benefits impacts on the promotion of consumption in private sector, of local jobs and of local economic organizations. Recently, the poor energy consumption ability of energy poverty became one of the social problems. Also it was analysed how an energy payment-in-kind as basic income influences on the energy consumption of the region, the energy production capacity, the promotion of local energy. The universal cash payment and energy payment-in-kind as the basic income policy showed similar and positive effects on the local economy system and on the local energy system respectively.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.77-109
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• 2005

On the basis of the Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey for the 1997 through 2003 period, this paper investigates if the income distribution has become more bi-polarized since the recent financial crisis. The polarization measure developed by Esteban and Ray(l994) and Duclos, Esteban, and Ray(2004) indicates that the distribution of total income has become much more bi-polarized than unequalized for the entire sample period. Second, the rapid increase in the bi-polarization measure is attributed to the enhanced within-group homogeneity among the lower-income group as well as the widening gap between the two groups in the mean income level. Third, no such pattern exists in the distribution of labor income. Overall, the findings in the current study would support the hypothesis of a centrifuging society which is characterized by the slow disappearance of the middle class and the formation of two poles and which is observed in the United States and the United Kingdom among others.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2016

This study provides empirical evidences for the relationship between income inequality and economic growth, and relationship of income inequality with some of explanatory variables such as technological innovation, trade globalization, financial globalization and fiscal policy. We find out that income inequality has an adverse effect on economic growth, showing its dynamic features, for which we employed the polynomial distributed lags (PDL) model. The effect of income inequality on economic growth lasts over 9 years, and its dynamic effect peaks after 4 years. In addition, we also attempted to find out empirical evidences of sources of income inequality. The results show that income inequality is positively related to technological innovation, financial globalization, and fiscal policy; negatively related to the trade globalization. Many studies employ cross-country data, but it could have serious problems in collecting statistical data. Korean data is used over the time period of 1990-2015 in this study.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-108
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• 2013

With questionnaires conducted for 613 adult Koreans in Seoul, the present study examined how their social features (income level, political party identification, political values, values of capitalism and egalitarianism) exercise influence on attitudes toward income polarization and their evaluation of government policies. Two groups of participants (high vs. low) for each social feature were formed first. Then their attitudes toward income polarization (liberal vs. conservative) and evaluations of policies (liberal vs. conservative) exercised by government (Participatory vs. Practical) were compared. Results indicated that liberal value was strengthened by liberal value, anti-capitalistic, and conservative value was strengthened by egalitarian values, and party identification. It was also found that party identification partial effect on the judgment of policies exercised by Participatory Government. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications for Korean society and measures for communication constructive for settlement of income polarization were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.461-483
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• 2011

This study aims to recognize the definite cognition of Korean people about Social Polarization and to define its category. For this study, Qualitative Research is provided to 38 candidates who live in Seoul. The results show that the reason of the social polarization is divided into 4 categories such as Impossible Social Class Change, Can be the middle class, Can be the Rich, Possible Social Class Change. And the solution of polarization is divided into 4 categories such as Progressive Solution, Moderate Progressive Solution, Moderate Conservative Solution, Conservative Solution. On the basis of the cross-tabulation of the reason and solution of polarization, Most of Korean have tendency to cognize the reason of polarization conservatively, but the solution of polarization is cognized progressively. And This study tries to discuss the meaning of the categories and the implications for consensual communication of Social polarization in korean society.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1199-1212
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine how the mother's educational aspirations and household's characteristics have an effect on the likelihood of private educational expenditures and the amount of private educational expenditures. Factor analysis, probit and tobit analyses were used. The main findings can be summarized as the following: The mother's educational aspirations for intrinsic values is higher than for extrinsic values. The mother's educational aspirations for extrinsic values, household's assets, and residing in Seoul rather than residing in Incheon had significant positive effects on the likelihood of private educational expenditures. However, the child's birth order had a significant negative effect on the likelihood of private educational expenditures. The mother's educational aspirations for extrinsic values, the mother's education level, household's income, household's assets, and residing in Seoul rather than residing in Incheon had significant positive effects on the amount of private educational expenditures. However, the child's birth order had a significant negative effect on the amount of private educational expenditures. Findings from this study offer several implications. First, the mother's educational aspirations for extrinsic values rather than for intrinsic values has an effect on private educational expenditures. Unless the mother's educational aspirations have been changed to pursuing intrinsic values, the private educational expenditures cannot be reduced. Second, the polarization of the household's income and assets could bring about the polarization of private educational expenditures, which can lead to the intergenerational income polarization.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.87-95
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• 2017

Purpose - The structural changes of Korean agriculture are complex due to heterogeneous production processes and farms' features. This study analyzed trends of dualism in Korean agriculture over the period 2000-15 based on farm-level data to clarify the specific trends of dualism in terms of farm income, farm-size, and farm operators' age. From the results of this study, we would be able to understand the features of structural changes in Korean agriculture more profoundly. Research design, data, and methodology - We incorporated farm-level data in South Korea: Agricultural census and Farm household economy survey. As measures of inequality, we used size-weighted quantiles, and normalized Gini coefficients as well as mean and conventional quantiles. The size-weighted quantiles are more robust to changes in the number of small farms, but they are more sensitive to changes in the distribution of farm-size. Thus, they would be more useful to identify trends of dualism of Korean agriculture. Results - The results show that the farmland distribution of crop farms became more skewed and dispersed. However, the herd distribution of livestock farms became more concentrated. To be specific, their mean and 1st quantile increases more rapidly than their size-weighted 2nd quantile and size-weighted 3rd quantile. Gini coefficients of livestock farms regarding their herd distribution decreased by 0.1 on average. In the case of income distribution, the results indicate that the polarization regarding farm household/agricultural/non-agricultural income became more severe. However, we also found that the distribution of transfer income became concentrated continuously. The results imply that transfer income including subsidies would decrease farm income polarization. Lastly, during the study periods, Korean farms were aging over time, and age distribution of them more concentrated. Conclusions - The structure of Korean agriculture has been changing, even though the absolute size of it decreased over time. Land (herd) distribution became more dispersed (concentrated). Inequality regarding agricultural income became more severe, and it made farm household income more polarized even though transfer income would decrease income gaps among farms. Lastly, farms continue to age regardless of farm types and this might affect the structural changes in Korean agriculture in the future.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.8 no.spc1
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• pp.433-450
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• 2005

This paper empirically traces out the determinants of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) progress. Using cross-national evidence, it is found that a country's income level and its distribution affect the ICT progress, through their influences on home market demand pattern. This result holds even when controlling for other variables that affects ICT progress and a sub-sample of less developed countries. Based on the findings, it is possible to conjecture that ICT progress can be a plausible reason for the income polarization in the world. In addition, a country with higher levels of human capital accumulation and financial development is positively associated with the ICT progress, although the effects depend on the sample and model specifications. However, these results are based on crude theoretical backgrounds and estimations, which require for further studies in the future.