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Education and wartime mobilization: Evidence from colonial Korea during WWII

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  • Izumi, Yutaro
  • Park, Sangyoon

Abstract

This study examines the effect of colonial education on the mobilization of Koreans during World War II. Considering an educational expansion policy that doubled the number of public primary schools in Korea, we employ a difference-in-differences strategy that exploits cross-regional variations in the expansion of primary schools and cross-cohort variations in exposure to school expansion. We show that the expansion of public primary education significantly increased the military mobilization of Koreans. Exploiting the design of the expansion policy, we use an instrumental variable approach and show that the results remain qualitatively unchanged. We discuss several potential mechanisms underlying our findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Izumi, Yutaro & Park, Sangyoon, 2025. "Education and wartime mobilization: Evidence from colonial Korea during WWII," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:exehis:v:98:y:2025:i:c:s0014498325000592
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2025.101712
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East
    • N45 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Asia including Middle East

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