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Differential Impacts of Ethnic Korean and Non-Korean Immigrants on Local Amenities in South Korea

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  • Dohee Kwon

    (Graduate School of Economics, Keio University)

Abstract

This paper examines the short-run and long-run impacts of immigrants on local amenities in South Korea using data on 229 municipalities from 2010 to 2019. Specifically, this paper attempts to investigate the differential effects of ethnic Korean and non-ethnic-Korean immigrants by exploiting the unique case of ethnic return migration in Korea. The results suggest that ethnic Korean immigrants have a negative effect on cultural facilities in the long run, while non-Korean immigrants have no effect on local amenities. It is also found that an inflow of ethnic Korean immigrants does not significantly affect the inflow of native Koreans, while 10 additional non-Korean immigrants lead to a net inflow of one to two native Koreans into the municipality.

Suggested Citation

  • Dohee Kwon, 2025. "Differential Impacts of Ethnic Korean and Non-Korean Immigrants on Local Amenities in South Korea," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series DP2025-018, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    • Handle: RePEc:keo:dpaper:dp2025-018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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