In the domain of social welfare, functionally similar programs targeting overlapping beneficiary groups are frequently administered independently across multiple government ministries and agencies. This fragmented governance structure has raised concerns regarding duplication in service delivery and administrative inefficiencies. This study investigates the operational realities of such overlapping initiatives and evaluates the potential for expenditure rationalization through a cost analysis of child care programs―a representative case characterized by recent increases in public funding.
Indicators of poverty and inequality serve as a basis for assessing the scale of vulnerable populations and social policy beneficiaries, as well as the effectiveness of related policies. At the same time, they are essential for accurately understanding the state of income distribution in Korean society, diagnosing its problems, and exploring policy alternatives.
This study provides reliable statistics on key indicators of poverty and inequality, along with information that enables the identification of their trends over time. It is intended to serve as foundational data for research on poverty and inequality, benefiting not only researchers studying income and wealth distribution, but also policymakers, related experts, and students.
This policy brief applies the basic framework of KIHASA's pilot project for population change monitoring, first implemented in 2022, to produce and interpret key indicators related to main factors of population change, including childbearing, death, migration, marriage, divorce, population growth, composition, the foreign population (multicultural families), and spatial distribution.
This policy brief highlights that demographic changes are not merely statistical trends but fundamental factors that can deepen our understanding of the challenges facing Korea and inform the review of policy demands.
This study identifies South Korea’s prolonged ultra-low birth rate as a symptom of a social reproduction crisis and examines whether a Commons-based approach, integrating social housing with community child rearing and care activities, can provide solutions to this issue. If the low birth rate is closely linked to the separation of production and reproduction and the crisis in social reproduction, the solution lies in reconstructing social reproduction by redefining the boundaries between production and reproduction. This study highlights the importance of a boundary struggle to overcome the division between production and reproduction and to expand care into the communal sphere.
Located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, ‘WeStay Byeolnae’ is a cooperative-stlye social housing apartment complex that exemplifies redefining the boundaries of social reproduction and restoring its meaning through community child rearing and care activities. The Care Commons formed through trust and cooperation among neighbors alleviates childcare stress, reduces family conflicts, and positively influences the intention to have children. Through the case study of WeStay Byeolnae, this research argues for an integrated approach to housing and care to enhance the quality of life and reconstruct social reproduction. Furthermore, it proposes that the low birth rate issue cannot be resolved simply as an economic cost problem but requires addressing care from the perspective of commoning.
The Population Policy Planning Group of Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs(KIHASA) has been holding a total of 32 Population Forums on various population-related topics over the 10-year period from 2014 to 2023. In 2024, a total of four forums were planned and operated, which served as a venue for communication to disseminate the research results conducted in KIHASA and to gather opinions from experts and the public.
In the future, it is necessary to continue to promote to the public the rapidly changing demographic structure and the related policies being promoted through the Population Forum and to publicize the issues. Through this, the Population Forum is expected to be used as public discussion of the changes in the population structure and as a basis for establishing and promoting policies to improve the level of awareness.
This study aims to collect and manage health and welfare statistical information&data based on the Health and Welfare Data Portal (http://data.kihasa.re.kr), and to establish and operate a comprehensive health and welfare statistical service system that provides this information in various forms of content. In 2023, to enhance the openness and usability of health and welfare statistical information&data, a data integration management system based on the data portal was established, and efforts were made to advance user-friendly related content and services.
This policy brief presents indicators related to the recent demographic changes that South Korean society is experiencing and provides a more in-depth interpretation of their implications. This study follows the framework of the 2022 Demographic Change Monitoring Yearbook pilot project and focuses on a more detailed calculation process and in-depth interpretation of the indicators. Our composition is largely attributable to the purpose of further enhancing the correlation between population change and policy responses.
The Social Security Administration Monitoring has been operated in the form of a forum since 2008 with the aim of cultivating expert members from local governments, social welfare frontline workers, and field experts to address current issues and problems within the social security system and to discuss improvement measures. As 2023 marks the 15th year since the project's inception, a 9th specialized member has been newly commissioned.
The topics discussed during this year's forum include social isolation and seclusion, coordination and integration of public assistance and welfare benefits, state intervention in groups that are resistant to help, and efficient housing surveys. These topics encompass a wide range of new challenges, adjustments to existing systems, and enhancements to delivery mechanisms, providing an opportunity to reassess areas for improvement despite the expansion and growth of the social security system. We hope that the insights presented in this forum will serve as valuable data for public officials, relevant workers, social welfare academia and experts, and associated civic groups.
