• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.29-57
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• 2014

Using unemployment insurance and income-contingent loan (ICL) that conditions repayment by debtors upon their incomes this paper characterizes an efficient income support system for the unemployed, which maximizes their lifetime utilities by effectively enhancing inter-state and inter-temporal consumption-smoothing subject to incentive constraints on the part of the beneficiaries. This paper also emphasizes the generality of the argument for a mix of ICL and subsidy that may be applied potentially to many types of government welfare program.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.89-112
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• 2014

This paper characterizes an optimal combination of grant and income-contingent loans (ICL) from efficiency and equity points of view as a government subsidy program for higher-education. In particular, we show that it is always desirable to introduce ICL for students regardless of their household incomes, and also provide arguments for the superiority of tax-financing system to loans with risk-premium as a financing mechanism of ICL. From policy point of view, this paper suggests a need for the extended coverage of our ICL system, while justifying its current tax-financing system.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.71-91
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• 2016

This paper examines the effect of the government college loan program in Korea on student academic performance, dropout decisions and loan defaults. While fairness in educational opportunities has been guaranteed to some degree through this program, which started in 2009, there has been a great deal of controversy over its effectiveness. Empirical findings suggest that recipients of general student loan (GSL) lower academic performance than those who received income contingent loan (ICL). Moreover, for students attending private universities, a higher number of loans received increased the probability of a dropout decision, and students from middle-income households had a higher probability of being overdue than students from low-income households. These findings indicate that expanding the ICL program within the allowance of the government budget is necessary. Furthermore, providing opportunities for students to find various jobs and introducing a rating system for defaulters are two necessary tasks.