• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.6 s.84
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• pp.177-193
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• 2006

This study analyzes marriage and fertility rates in Korea and makes recommendations for family policy. Based on the 'The Report of Marriage & Divorce Statistics in 2005' and data from the Korea Statistical Information System (KOSIS) of the National Statistics Organization, the trends, reasons for marriage rates changes, and future expectations were critically reviewed. In addition, the relationship between marriage and fertility rates was analyzed. The principle characteristics of marriage rates are as follows: 1) the M-shape of the longitudinal crude marriage rates; 2) the increased age of individuals entering their the first marriage; 3) the increase in remarriage rates; 4) the changes in the patterns of remarriage; 5) the increased in the age at which individuals remarry and; 6) the increase in marriage to non-Koreans. The marriage and fertility rates changes are a permanent normative shift because of 1) later marriage because of women's increased education and labor force participation 2) rational choices about birth control 3) reduced population because of the aging of baby boomers 4) structural changes in the marriage market and 5) egalitarian changes in women's attitudes toward marriage and family. The recommendations for future family policy were as follows: 1) the need for a realistic, long-term family policy because the current marriage patterns will continue; 2) the need to develop new statistics such as fertility rates that are based on marriage cohort or birth cohort because family behavior is a mixture of personal, social and political responses; 3) the need for impact analysis of current family policy about increasing fertility rates; 4) the need for a new family perspective that encompasses diverse marriage and family patterns; 5) the need to focus on men's role in families because of women's changing roles and family interaction patterns and; 6) the need for preventive family policies such as family life education.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.51-62
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to prevent unwed mothers from the view of home-welfare. The main causes of unwed mothers should be reviewed part. The concrete reactions to solve this problem are possible by these studies even though this problem is very complicated related with the matters of individuals, families and our societies. The conclusion to prevent the unwed mothers is : (ⅰ) to establish the right sex morality through the education in families; (ⅱ) the society's role to share the responsibilities and care in single-parent families; (ⅲ) the right sex education in schools and society ; (ⅳ) the governmental aids to enlarge the number of consultation facilities and accomodation places for youths and women. Besides these attempts, the unwed mothers should be aware of the importance and responsibilities of their own and the baby's lives. The responsibility of society also should be focused from the point of family welfare.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.123-136
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine whether childbirth encouragement policy is actually helping those childbirth, and also discuss the possible directions of this policy to unfold in the future, should take. For this, We have surveyed 412 married and 437 unmarried men and women in order to investigate the individual values that influence childbirth, From these respondents and we interviewed and surveyed recipients of grants (244people), administrative officers in charge (41people), and experts (34people) to investigate their social view on the Korean government's impact. The results of this study are as follows: Firstly, most of the people (unmarried 70.3%, married 69.1%) surveyed said that important life objectives for them. Secondly, most of the people(male 44.4%, female 73.8%) surveyed said that once married shied away from having babies, (a) due to the finance and childcare burden is heavy of running a family while both parents are fulltime employed (b) because it is difficult to get pregnant due to health problems, and (c) foremost because having several children exacerbates their financial burden. Thirdly, grant recipients(75.4%), administrative officers in charge(65.9%), and experts(53.0%) all said that childbirth encouragement policy currently being implemented has little impact on their childbirth. Finally, it was established that the incentives to encourage childbirth is best suited for individuals that favor having many children.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.157-170
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• 2014

Objectives: Agent Orange TCDD has been related to serious diseases among Korean veterans who were exposed to it. Decades after the end of the war, however, its effects are still being debated. The object of this study was to examine various unmet needs raised among Agent Orange exposed veterans and their families and to find grounds of a new welfare policy for providing alternative legislation. Methods: Literatures concerning Agent Orange, TCDD, the associated diseases, compensation for veterans and Supreme Court sentencing were searched using PubMed, ProQuest, press news and relevant homepages. Results: Agent Orange exposed veterans are eligible for various benefits from the government, including disability compensation for diseases associated with exposure. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has classified certain diseases into two categories, Agent Orange sequela diseases and sequela suspect diseases and has provided differential benefits based on separated laws. Big differences exist in benefits to veterans and their families between the two laws. The absence of definite standards to classify the Agent Orange associated diseases was confirmed by recent Supreme Court sentencing which ruled in favor of US manufacturers. Conclusion: It appears that the evidence for cause and effect of Agent Orange related diseases would never be perfect. The results suggest a need to change welfare principles from presumptive or indefinite disease basis to exposure experiences combined with integrated disability evaluation. We propose to extend eligibility by enacting a new law for Agent Orange exposed Korean veterans.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.89-107
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• 2014

This study analyzes how governmental financial support of child care affects the participation of married women in the labor market in Korea. This dynamic analysis used data gathered over four years via the fifth to the eighth Korea Welfare Panel Studies (KWPS). The major results are as follows. First, child care allowance has a negative effect on the participation of married women in the labour market. Providing cash for child care seems to decrease women's labour market participation by cementing the role of women as the primary child care providers in the household. Second, the support for families, used by child care facilities, is found to increase the probability of married women working either part-time or full-time, thereby decreasing the burden on household budgets caused by child care costs. In conclusion, governmental policy-based child care benefits, used by child care centers, should be continued so that married women may participate in the labour market while raising their children.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.89-108
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing life satisfaction in widowhood among older females. Using the sixth Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS) supplementary survey data, a total sample of 1,471 women aged 65 or older whose spouse had died were selected, divided into 508 young-old (65-74), 745 middle-old (75-84), and 218 oldest-old (85+). Then, factors influencing the life satisfaction of these three groups were analyzed, based on a combination of perceived health and interpersonal satisfaction levels. It was found that among the young-old group, a higher level of subjective health perception indicated by monthly income and material support and interpersonal satisfaction linked to more frequent participation in community gathering combined for an overall higher level of life satisfaction. For the middle-old group, higher life satisfaction was provided by monthly income, informational support, and material support for subjective health perception and no diseases for interpersonal satisfaction. The oldest-old group with higher life satisfaction referred to monthly income for subjective health perception and no experience in donation activities for interpersonal satisfaction. Based on these findings, this study provides implications for policy and practice to improve the life satisfaction of elderly women who have experienced their spouse's death.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.54
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• pp.113-144
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children's social capital(both within and outside the family) and happiness would vary depending on poverty, as well as the effects of poverty on the happiness of children through their social capital. The 2013 Korea Youth General Survey data were utilized. We analyzed data from 766 children between the ages of 9 and 12, as well as their parents. Data were examined using structural equation modeling analysis. The bootstrapping method was used to test the mediating effects of social capital. The results showed that poor children had lower levels of social capital(both within and outside the family) and happiness than non-poor children. Second, poverty had indirect effects one happiness. In particular, poverty affected children's happiness through their social capital obtained both from within and outside the families. The mediating effects were statistically significant. Based on the results, we suggested policy and practice implications, including various interventions for children in poverty that may improve their social capital, which influences children's happiness.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine how married women with a child perceived the low-fertility issue in order to increase the success of policy decisions for increasing the fertility rate and to present alternatives. The study subjects were 327 married women with a child who resided in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. After the survey was conducted, the collected data were analyzed with SPSS 11.5 program. The findings of the study were as follows. First, the married women who already had one child found it ideal to have two children. In fact, however, 36.4% had determined not to have another child, and only one parent wanted to have a second child in 26.9%. Second, they took a dismal view of the government's fertility encouragement policies, and they considered it necessary for the government to pursue a more down-to-earth measure. Third, economic aid for child rearing and education was identified as the most critical way to boost the childbirth rate. In conclusion, current national policies aimed at increasing the low-fertility rate are redundant if they are only designed to publicize government action. Actions need to be taken to assist married women in taking better advantage of the existing policies.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.239-261
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• 2015

This study investigated the impact of social capital on married immigrant women's parenting, specifically focusing on the mediating effect of parenting participation. Using structural equation modeling, social capital within and outside of the family were examined in their relations to parenting efficacy, and the mediating effect of parenting participation was analysed. Study participants were 459 immigrant women from the Gyeonggi Education Welfare Panel(2011), who had children in 5th and 6th grades of elementary school. Findings suggested that social capital within and outside of the family had significant impact on parenting participation, which in turn affected parenting efficacy. Direct effects of social capital on parenting efficacy were not statistically significant, indicating a full mediation effect of parenting participation. Implications for social work practice and social policy for this population are discussed.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.77-87
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• 2015

This study aimed to make the leisure activation policy plan on married immigrant women for social integration of multicultural families as a social problem. For that, this study selected total 25 professional experts who can suggest leisure activation policy plans on married immigrant women with convenience quota sampling, and, they were chiefs and instructors in multicultural family support centers, professors of social welfare and leisure, and married immigrant women who had passed Test of Proficiency in Korean and been doing leisure activities. As the results, there were classified into 6 main category like established policy direction, engage, awareness, and program improvement, operations and facility improvements, administrative support, 13 middle categories, and 37 small categories. Through above process, this study suggested 6 steps of policy plan: 1st, making systematic policy direction on the base of married immigrant women's real demand, 2nd, making administrative·institutional support system for effective policy enhancement, 3rd, improving recognitions on immigrant women's leisure activity from surrounders, 4th, improving programs by efficient management and qualitative diversification, 5th, improving management of concerned facilities, and 6th, attracting participations of married immigrant women through economical support·connection and child care service.