2025, Vol.32, No.1

Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.61

pISSN : 1225-8539 / eISSN : 2671-5171
https://journal.kci.go.kr/japs

This study analyzes the impact of the Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) coordinated development strategy, a major economic zone in northern China, on the employment decisions of young people. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on economic outcomes, this research examines whether the development strategy of the Jing-Jin-Ji region, which faces social challenges such as demographic crisis and youth talent outflow, aligns with the perceptions and expectations of young people. To empirically verify the factors influencing residential and employment location choices, open-ended and structured surveys were conducted among university students in third-tier cities of Hebei Province. Hierarchical regression analysis and mediation effect analysis of 869 valid responses revealed that social environmental factors (social support, livelihood policies) and economic environmental factors (regional development prospects) have a greater influence on young people’s employment decisions than personal relationship factors (parental support, interpersonal relationships, intimate relationships, hometown preference). Specifically, social support and livelihood policies function as mediating variables for personal relationship factors, suggesting that when choosing employment locations, young people place greater importance on the support systems of local communities, trust in government policies, and positive outlook for the future rather than personal connections or regional ties. These findings indicate that the recent tendency of Chinese youth to rely on personal networks is part of a coping mechanism for an uncertain future. Therefore, this study emphasizes that for the successful implementation of the Jing-Jin-Ji coordinated development strategy, a software approach focusing on substantive improvement of social policies must be pursued alongside hardware approaches such as physical infrastructure construction. Specifically, policy efforts are needed to secure housing stability, create quality jobs, and strengthen social support systems that allow young people to settle stably in local communities and plan for their future. These findings provide important implications for developing regional integration development policies and youth talent attraction strategies not only for China but also for other countries facing similar challenges, including South Korea.

The research subject of this paper is the labor characteristics of delivery riders employed in the food delivery industry, focusing on the concept of “unstable labor”, which has been used to study labor attributes in the past. The purpose of this study is to examine why some people in China are employed as food delivery riders in the platform economy and to explain their labor characteristics. To achieve this research objective, the following three questions were asked: First, why are the majority of food delivery riders from the new generation of migrant workers who worked in manufacturing and construction? I introduced the background of their transition to becoming food delivery riders. Second, I examined three aspects: employment type, wage level, and social insurance subscription. The research revealed that food delivery riders are in an “unstable labor” situation. Third, I examined how the artificial intelligence (AI) development strategy promoted by the Chinese government threatens the jobs of platform workers. Through this analysis I hope to understand the situation in which new generation workers are forced to live in urban poverty, with unstable employment and no path to upward social mobility even as they escape manufacturing and move to become food delivery riders.

This paper traces the origins of uncertainty in Mongolia’s governance structure in terms of the institutionalism. In constitutional design, the ambiguous allocation of powers and responsibilities to government institutions results in excessive exercise of power and checks, thereby undermining the stability of the constitutional system. An analysis of the period from 1996 to 2000, when intense conflicts occurred within the Mongolian constitutional system, reveals the actual implementation of Mongolia's separation of powers as follows: Under the constitutional ambiguity, each governing body in Mongolia strives to maximize its authority and secure political leadership. This situation leaves the ultimate attribution of governance more ambiguous, as unofficial institutional factors such as constitutional spirit, history, culture, and tradition interfere with the interaction between institutions. Consequently, this leads to continuous and exhausting power struggles, thereby threatening the stability of the system. By examining the operation of Mongolia’s constitutional system, this article explores desirable constitutional amendments for Korea’s governance structure as follows: clear delineation of authority for each institution, institutional mechanisms to check the abuse of power, regulations to enhance the accountability of the executive branch, and the increase of opportunities for direct public participation in the operation of the governance structure.