Long‐Term Changes in the Economic Activity of Older Males in Korea

Abstract

This study estimates the labor force participation rate (LFPR) of older males in Korea from 1955 through 2000 and analyzes the effects of several determining factors on labor force participation decisions at older ages. The LFPR of men age 60 and older increased substantially from the mid‐1960s to the late 1990s. This pattern is in sharp contrast to the historical experiences of most other OECD countries, where the LFPR of older males declined rapidly over the last century. The rise in the LFPR of older males in Korea between 1965 and 1995 is largely explained by the dramatic increase in the labor market activity of the rural elderly population. The results of regression analyses suggest that the acceleration of population aging in rural areas as a result of the selective out‐migration of younger persons was the major cause of the sharp increase in the LFPR of older males. It is likely that the relative decline of the rural economy in the course of industrialization made it increasingly difficult for the rural elderly population to save for retirement.

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