• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.45-112
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• 2002

Enhancing labor market flexibility is currently posted as one of the major economic policy objectives in Korea. However, the labor market effects of specific policies to achieve it have not been sufficiently investigated. This paper takes up the issue of employment protection deregulation and surveys and empirically analyzes its policy effects. Academic researches generally confirm that deregulation tends to promote labor turnover and employment of the disadvantaged groups such as the youth and female by raising the overall efficiency of the economy, but its effects on unemployment is not clear. In the Korean labor market, both job creation and destruction, and labor mobility have increased after the economic crisis of 1998, but they can not be seen as deregulation effects as the changes are confined to the temporary and daily employment whose labor markets are least regulated whereas the regular employment market remains virtally unchanged. Such results suggest that labor market deregulation need to be pursued consistently as a policy goal since the labor demand condition shift and the need for expanding regular employment necessitates it, for which detailed policy agenda for removing market inefficiencies should be carefully arranged.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.25-46
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• 2010

The outstanding performance of some nations in Central and Northern Europe such as Denmark and the Netherlands in the labor market is much indebted to their policy to help labor flexicurity. In this study, the possibility of replicating the Dutch or Danish performance in the labor market is explored in case of adopting such policy in the 22 OECD countries. If implementing the flexicurity policy in the 22 member countries of the OECD leads to strong performance in the labor market, this policy can be globally shared as universal labor policy to provide a win-win situation among the labor, management and the authorities on the matter, paving the way for replacing the Anglo-Saxon policy characterized by high flexibility and low security, or the European alternative with a lower level of flexibility and a higher level of security. According to findings from our research, flexicurity policy can not produce any tangible accomplishments in the labor market by only itself. Therefore, we may safely reach the conclusion that flexicurity policy has a limited positive influence on the labor market of some northern or central European countries. Given the striking difference in inherent conditions between such European countries and OECD countries, it is not sensible for OECD nations to adopt labor policy in the direction of flexicurity.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.45
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• pp.7-39
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• 2001

This paper examines the effect of active labor market policy on the unemployment rates in 8 welfare states. This paper focuses on the following questions: what are the major predictors of the changes in unemployment rates?; and what is the effect of active labor market policy in reducing unemployment rates? Using the data from Comparative Welfare States Data Set by Stephens (1997), Key Indicators of the Labour Market by ILO (1999) and Social Expenditure Database by OECD (1999), this paper attempts to answer the above research questions. Fuller-Battese model, a data analysis method in pooled cross-sectional time-series analysis, is adopted to identify variables predicting changes in unemployment rates. This paper analyzes the predictors by using 3 analysis models about 2 types of unemployment (overall unemployment and long term unemployment). Results are as follows: (1) economic variable such as changes in GDP has a positive effect in reducing unemployment rates; (2) active labor market policy has a positive effect in reducing unemployment rates as well; (3) job brokering service among 3 major active labor market programs has a positive effect in reducing unemployment rates; and (4) there is an interaction effect between unemployment benefit level and active labor market policy in reducing unemployment rates. Through the empirical analysis, this paper provides valuable knowledge about effects of active labor market policy on unemployment in 8 welfare states and discusses implications for the active labor market policy in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.187-211
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• 2011

This study examines the effects of active labor market policy on unemployment by pooled cross-section time series analysis utilizing panel data of 18 OECD countries, and seeks implications for improvements of the Korean active labor market policy. The results of the analysis are summarized as follows. First, active labor market policy negatively affects unemployment rates. Second, vacational training program among three major active labor market programs has a negative effect on unemployment rates. Third, employment service program and employment subsidy program have partially negative effects on unemployment rates. The implications for the Korean active labor market policy are as follows. First, it is necessary to expand and systematize active labor market policies. Second, vocational training programs should be systematized and professionalized according to labor demand. Third, employment subsidy programs need to be planned and carried out under the condition of minimizing a substitution effect, a displacement effect and a deadweight loss effect. Fourth, employment service programs need to be developed and carried out under the consideration of not only the reduction of unemployment rates but also the prevention of re-unemployment, mitigation of income inequality and improvement of productivity.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.117-138
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• 2004

The purpose of this article is to show a model on enhancing labor market flexibility and to compare labor market flexibility, considering that the model on labor market flexibility, universally acceptable, are not found. The writer classified the scope of labor market flexibility into three parts such as indirect adjustment, direct adjustment and policy adjustment. The writer further classified the contents of labor market flexibility into eleven sub-parts. This kind of classification regarding labor market flexibility is unique and comprehensive. Based on this classification, the writer measured the degree of labor market flexibility of four countries such as USA, Japan, Germany, and Korea. According to the results, the ranks of labor market flexibility are USA, Japan, Korea, Germany.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.83-112
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• 1998

The unemployment rate in Korea increased sharply since the deep economic depression. The rapid increase of unemployment rate is attributed, in part, to economic shock, but more basically to the structural problem of labor market. Moreover over 2-3 years later, the labor market perspective looks dismal. To overcome the labor market crisis, the fundamental reforms aimed at improving the labor market function is required. Thus the focus of policy should shift from reducing unemployment to increasing employment.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.185-222
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of labor market policy on fiscal soundness of welfare state. The analysis was carried out using cross-sectional panel data regression analysis, stepwise mediating effect analysis and system GMM designed by Baron and Kenny(1986) based on the data from 1985 to 2015 for 20 OECD countries. In setting up the analysis model, this study considers the interaction effect between active and passive labor market policies as well as the time sequence of the outcomes which have been overlooked in the previous studies. The result shows that labor market policies have significant impacts on the fiscal condition of welfare states, which is measured as the levels of national debt in this study. Especially the expenditure on active labor market programs has a positive effect on improving the fiscal soundness of welfare states by promoting the employment rate. In contrast, passive labor market programs expenditure is negatively associated with employment rate growth and it exacerbates the burden of national debt in the short-term. However, when active labor market programs and passive labor market programs are combined, the negative impacts by passive pabor market policies on the fiscal soundness of welfare states are off-set. Therefore this study addresses that although the expansion of the labor market policies can be inimical to the fiscal soundness of welfare states in the short-term, in the long run, they can have effective roles in securing and promoting the fiscal soundness of the welfare states by promoting the employment rate.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.187-207
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• 2002

This study investigates the wage determination process of regional labor markets in order to understand the regional dimension of labor market processes in Korean metropolitan cities. Since the financial crisis in late 1997, the interplay between labor market restructuring such as unemployment and skill polarization and income disparity has been shaped by the labor market process in the metropolitan cities. This is also closely related to the fact that both industrial restructuring and expanding information technologies in the metropolitan region have reshaped the labor demand structure and finally resulted in structural unemployment due to skill mismatch and spatial mismatch and wage inequality across different occupations. In addition, since wage determination process clearly has a regional dimension, wage determination and its influence on income profile in a certain regional labor market need to be understood by investigating its labor market characteristics including labor supply and demand structure, industrial changes, changing unemployment, etc. This is why labor market policy as a regional policy needs to be redefined and it can be much enhanced by geographical investigation on regional labor market.

• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.261-293
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• 2013

Sweden invited immigrant workers, mainly from Nordic countries and West European countries until the 1960s. But since the 1970s refugees and their family members have become the largest group of immigrants. As the composition of immigrants has changed significantly, and the labor market conditions have been aggravated, immigrants have had much difficulty in finding jobs. This has aroused policy debates concerning the reason why the immigrants are not well integrated into the labor market and how to solve the problem. While there is a broad consensus on micro reform policy alternatives, there are significant opinion gaps concerning major issues such as labor market flexibilization and immigration restrictions. It would seems that the poor results of immigrants' labor market integration may increase the pressure for labor market flexibilization and also bring about significant changes to the Swedish welfare state model designed on the premise of full employment.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.363-382
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• 2023

This study aims to discern the determinants influencing the perception of workability among the elderly population and delineate an appropriate retirement age within the labor market context. Employing binary logistic regression, this research utilizes data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study (2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020) provided by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Welfare. The findings indicate that key factors shaping the elderly's perception of workability encompass familial responsibilities (household and marital status) and their levels of physical and mental well-being. Econometric analysis suggests an anticipated retirement age for the elderly population ranging between 67 and 69 years. In addressing labor market demands and informing policymakers, the study proposes deliberations on extending the retirement age for individuals aged 60 to 65. This range serves as a compromise between the identified retirement age of 67 to 69 and the current average retirement age for elderly labor market participants. Bridging the disparity between the perceived workability age and the prevailing labor market baseline is crucial for achieving social consensus. Therefore, any extension of the retirement age should carefully consider both the demand and supply perspectives within the labor market. The study's contribution lies in two main aspects: firstly, presenting a retirement age framework for the labor market that integrates the workability of the elderly population, and secondly, providing evidence-based research outcomes to guide informed labor policies.