Economic growth and equity in the Republic of Korea

This paper presents a specific country case study of the relation between growth and equity. The study takes account of structural characteristics as well as government policies that have been used in the Republic of Korea. The first section reviews trends in employment and income distribution in the Republic of Korea during the last 10–15 years. It is seen as a country which has been quite successful in combining rapid growth with improved equity, and employment is considered the most important factor in this success. The second section discusses emerging problems which might effect equity in the Republic of Korea in the next decade and considers policies which might be required to deal with them.