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Regional economic resilience and long-term employment growth: decomposing structural transitions in South Korean metropolitan areas

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  • Jihan Park

    (Pusan National University)

  • Donghyun Kim

    (Pusan National University)

Abstract

This study investigates the factors driving regional structural transformation and long-term growth, focusing on seven metropolitan areas of the South Korea from 1996 to 2016, a period that saw two global economic shocks. Using the Census on Establishments database from Statistics Korea, we employ four-way multifactor partitioning across regions, industries, genders, and decent jobs. Findings show that long-term regional employment growth and adaptation process are primarily driven by region effects rather than the industrial structure. Industry mix matters more for short-term shock responses, with sector-specific sensitivities. Gender and decent-job effects have limited influence on long-term growth but revealed distinct structural responses across different shock periods. Our findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between short-term resilience and adaptation strategies, with institutional foundations playing a central role in sustainable regional development. They also highlight the structural role of gender and decent jobs in adaptive resilience, suggesting a need to improve women's job quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Jihan Park & Donghyun Kim, 2025. "Regional economic resilience and long-term employment growth: decomposing structural transitions in South Korean metropolitan areas," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 74(2), pages 1-29, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:74:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s00168-025-01383-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-025-01383-5
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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