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Assortative mating and earnings inequality in South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Frémeaux

    (Université Paris Panthéon-Assas)

  • SeEun Jung

    (Inha University)

  • Arnaud Lefranc

    (CY Cergy Paris Université, CNRS, THEMA)

Abstract

We analyze economic assortative mating and its contribution to earnings inequality in South Korea from 1998 to 2018. Our analysis is based on cross-sectional and panel data and accounts for several methodological issues, including measurement error and sample selection bias. Despite a very high level of assortativeness in education, Korea exhibits a negative correlation in earnings between spouses due to low female labor force participation and its negative correlation with male earnings. However, the correlation is large and positive for hourly earnings, among dual-earner couples. Cohort analysis reveals significant changes in earnings correlations, as rising female labor force participation offsets slightly declining educational sorting among younger cohorts. As a result, assortative mating contributes to a very limited extent to inequality between households in observed monthly earnings, but accounts for a sizable fraction, around to 15%, of inequality between household in hourly earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Frémeaux & SeEun Jung & Arnaud Lefranc, 2024. "Assortative mating and earnings inequality in South Korea," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 22(1), pages 211-236, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecin:v:22:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10888-023-09588-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10888-023-09588-4
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    Keywords

    Assortative mating; Inequality; Earnings; Education; Household; Labor supply; South Korea;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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