Pathways to State Welfare in Korea : Interests, Ideas and Institutions

This book traces the development of the Korean welfare state, arguing that it presents a unique challenge to existing theoretical propositions underlying social policy development. Drawing on both Western and Korean literature, it examines the implementation of social policy programs both before and after 1987, discussing their impact on Korean economic, political and social life and the potential for further development of the Korean welfare state.

Why has Korean social policy developed differently from that of other East Asian countries? While in many respects Korea can be compared with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, where economic development has been the chief priority of state action, Korea has also implemented extensive welfare reform, expanding its welfare provision even under recent conditions of economic downturn. Gyu-Jin Hwang traces the development of the Korean welfare state, providing a fascinating case study for observers of East Asian industrial growth and the public management of social risks. Arguing that the extension of state welfare presents a unique challenge to existing theoretical propositions underlying social policy development, he draws on detailed empirical analysis of key policy areas, namely public assistance, national pensions, health care and employment insurance. The book offers a definitive analysis of the development of Korean social policy programmes and the politics of implementing them. The book will be important reading for all those interested in comparative Social Policy and more specifically the development of Social Welfare in Asian countries.