KJC Korea
Journal Central

This study examines the relationship between regional characteristics at the county level and individual subjective happiness using the 18th Korean Labor and Income Panel Study. For an empirical analysis, we employ a multilevel model of individual, household, county, and province levels. In addition, we also consider a region-specific fixed-effects model to control for a possible endogeneity problem due to the correlation between a random effect at the province level and explanatory variables at the county level. We find that regional characteristics are not statistically significant in the multilevel model while the region-specific fixed-effects model returns significant ones such as regional mean age, the employment rate, the population density, the growth rate in the land price, the number of social welfare facilities, and the pavement rate of roads. These results implies that happy regions are not only composed of people and households with their favorable characteristics on happiness, but also attributed to contextual effects based on regional characteristics.

This study performed heat wave vulnerability assessment in Busan using the IPCC Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Framework which can be used as a baseline data for establishing effective countermeasures that mitigate the damage of the heat wave. This includes selection of the factors, estimation of the weights for the factors, aggregation of the factors to exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and finally to the vulnerability to heat wave. The assessment also considers the climate change scenarios, RCP(Representative Concentration Pathway)4.5 and RCP8.5, to project the impact of climate change on heat wave by the years 2050 and 2100. The results show high spatial variability on the vulnerability in Busan and application of the climate change scenario raises the average vulnerability by 65% in maximum. To mitigate the damage, locally customized countermeasures, prepared by analyzing the factors for the assessment, and various short- and long-term plans, tied to the urban planning, are required

Most risks occur in specific spaces, so spatial approach are essential, such as where vulnerable people reside, whether they are close to exposure and excluded from safety services. In addition, because the same vulnerable groups are not exposed to the same risk, it is necessary to define vulnerable groups by considering various conditions and clarify the purpose and target of support measures through a more detailed spatial unit analysis. Accordingly, this study examined the problems of the existing vulnerable considerations and suggested ways to improve them. For this purpose, space analysis of census units was performed by selecting and overlapping various vulnerable indicators in Cheongju-si, which consists of the analysis of spatial distribution, spatial vulnerability, and spatial vulnerability cluster characteristics. The results were as follows. First, most of the vulnerability factors were largely distributed in the outer and old town of the region. Second, as a result of overlaying the vulnerability factors, the space-vulnerable census was derived and it means a space where physically vulnerable, poor living conditions and economically difficult groups are concentrated. Third, based on the Moran’s I value, HH-type clusters with high vulnerabilities and the LL-type clusters with low vulnerabilities in both target area and surrounding area were derived. The results of this study can be used as a basis for more realistic and reasonable policy measures when establishing spatial plans for the provision of facilities or services to support vulnerable groups.

This study investigated whether the monopoly rent (MR) might be derived from introducing and transforming the financialisation of housing market (FHM), during the early and mid 2000s and interpreted its policy implications. In empirical analysis applying the Difference in Difference Model, each MRs coming from both the introduction of the FHM in ModelⅠ and the transformation, focusing on the shift from property-based housing financing to income-based, in ModelⅡ and Ⅲ were observed, respectively. A size of the MRs was estimated to be 11% to 26% of housing prices at least. In particular, the degree of housing price change(𝜃) in the Gangnam area rapidly drove up from 39.5 in 2005 to 62.9 in 2006 and 66.1 in 2007, while the degree in the 1st Newtown areas declined from 26.6 in 2006 to 23.1 in 2007. That is, as more MR occurred in areas where initial housing prices are relatively high, the spatial disparity of housing prices can be reinforced even more. In conclusion, the housing market might be economically segmented by the introduction of the FHM, and then socially stratified as income classes by its transformation.

This paper attempts to analyse the processes and outcomes of making two major technolpoes: Daedeok Science Park, Korea and Dortmund, Germany. Applying “relational institutionalism”, it has developed an analytical framework. Based on this, the paper introduced and analysed the processes and performances of the two technopoles. It concludes that Daedeok Science Park has contributed to the national economic and scientific advancement prior to the 2000s; however, the technopole has been struggling with its identity, showing the lack of innovative activities. This is compared by the German Dortmund’s case, which demonstrates steady growth and dynamic innovative activities. In relational institutionalism perspective, Daedeok is considered to have overlaps of layers of institutions, such as the original Daedeok Research Complex, Daedeok R&D Special District and International Science Business Belt, while the processes of such institutionalisation have been regid, ad hoc, complicated and externally and politically motivated. This is compared by Dortmund’s case where various institutions of the technopole, such as TechnologieZentrum and Competence Centres, have been established by internal and socio-economic factors, making the technopole more dynamic and innovative.

This research aims to figure out the characteristics produced when sharing economy related policies apply to a region, and to suggest sharing economy policy direction at the regional level using the Chungcheongnam-do Province case. To achieve this goal, first, we reviewed literature and analyzed major policies of central and regional governments, and then, found out five issues of sharing economy in a region such as concept, value, function, stage, and resource. We also investigated results of the survey that asked residents of Chungcheongnam-do about sharing economy policy related general issues. Based on the survey analysis, we suggested the necessity of following policy directions for sharing economy of a region. First, it is needed to identify the concept of sharing economy at the regional level. Second, it is important to emphasize major functions of sharing economy with balance and apply it to the policy. Third, sharing economy-related policies should be implemented based on the clear awareness about the developing stage of sharing economy. Finally, it is necessary to produce and manage diverse and three-dimensional shared resources mainly using abandoned resources.

Until 2019, acquisition tax system had problems that cause market distortions where threshold effects occur at the tax rate change point. So the government has implemented the revised acquisition tax system since Jan. 1, 2020 in order to rationalize the acquisition tax rate system for housing-related transactions. Therefore this study analyzed to see if the threshold effect was only tax-driven. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: First, we have confirmed that one of the threshold effects, the price-notch effect, is affected by the housing market economy. Second, In the apartment market, it was confirmed that the market reacted sensitively to price changes at low prices and to price changes at high prices. Therefore, it was found that the threshold effect of the 2018 year, which the government perceived as a problem, actually occurred in terms of taxation, but the effect of the apartment market economy was largely attributed to the effect.

Regional specialization of manufacturing industry has been attributed to wage gaps across regions. However, it is problematic that previous studies have been disregarded the extent of specialization of manufacturing. To address the limitation, this study measures the degree of specialization in manufacturing by three methods, and analyzes the relationship between regional specialization of manufacturing and wage. Using a panel data of 16 metropolitan areas and provinces from 2007 to 2018, the results from the dynamic panel method indicate that the relationship between specialization and wage varies depending on the measurements of specialization. More specifically, it turns out that absolute specialization and the average firm sizes in specialized industries are positively associated with wage, as specialization can positively affect productivity via rich labor markets and knowledge spillover effects. In contrast, relative specialization is negatively associated with wage, which implies that concentration in particular low-tech manufacturing industries can negatively affect wage. Based on the empirical results, we suggest policy implications.

This study seeks to explore the ways in which North Korea utilizes their landscapes as a means of governance. To this end, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Eun’s field guidance reports over the same number of months were analyzed according to ‘the ways they connect with the landscape’, ‘the types of landscape’ and ‘the areas where the landscape is located’. As a result, differences in how the two regimes utilize landscape are identified through the leader’s backdrop. The backdrop of the Kim Jong-Il regime was a landscape painting that was static to the reception area. The Kim Jong-Eun regime, on the other hand, replaces backdrop with the landscape located in the background of the ruler in the photographs of the Rodong Sinmun’s field guidance reports. Next, a pattern of avoidance of economic conditions can be found in the landscape represented in the media of the two regimes. In the media, Kim Jong-Il is emphasized to push ahead with tough terrain despite the bad weather to take care of the struggling economy. Kim Jong-Eun has kept the new and large-scale landscapes, close through the field guidances. However, far away from the landscapes, which can be responsible for solving the problem. The strategy of going directly to the site, but remaining symbolic rather than a practical solver was implemented by adopting mobility in different directions by the two regimes. Each of these is human mobility and landscape mobility.

This study developed prediction models of economic damage caused by heavy snowfall disasters as a starting point for the preparation of the measures of heavy snow, and examined the changes of future damage by reflecting future climate change scenarios. We employed panel tobit analyses for developing two facility-specific damage models (structure/agriculture and forestry/fisheries facilities). The results showed that significant increases in average new snowfall, maximum new snowfall and new snowfall days over 20cm influenced the economic damage increase. Furthermore, local governments with more sum snowfall and larger urban areas had less damage. Applying a climate change scenario to the forecast models, the predicted damages caused by snowfall disasters in the future(2030 and 2050) were ranged from 5.18 trillion won to 6.17 trillion won. Thus, we need to prepare for economic damage although it is difficult to conclude that the future damage will increase unconditionally compared to the present. Quantitative analysis of property damage based on the information currently available and climate change scenario can play a critical role in making decisions and prioritizing policies.