Three Dualization Processes in Korea: The Labor Market, Welfare Policy, and Political Representation

This article examines the nature and trends of economic inequality in Korean society in terms of “dualization” trends in three dimensions: the labor market, social welfare, and political power. First, for the labor market, the article analyzes the various differences in income and access to vocational training between standard and non-standard workers. Secondly, it examines social welfare divides between standard and non-standard workers. Finally, it traces the changes in union membership and the rate of election abstention among the different population groups. There are clear divides in the labor market, social welfare and political power between “insiders” and “outsiders.” These results confirm previous theories that suggested that a high level of protection for insiders and lack of an active labor market policy (ALMP) lead to a high level of dualization. However, this article also suggests that more sophisticated analysis is required to grasp the different dimensions of dualization and its broader consequences.