Restructuring the Korean Welfare State: A Study on the Challenges of Technological, Demographic, and Climate Change

Abstract

The Korean welfare state is facing three megatrends: technological change, demographic change, and climate change. This study analyzes whether and how these three factors individually and collectively reinforce or alleviate existing new and old ‘social risks’ and whether they may lead to new types of social risks. The concept of social risks was reviewed, and the current state of the Korean welfare state was examined. In the main body, each chapter analyzed how each change affects old and new social risks and contributes to forming new types of social risks, referred to as third-generation social risks. Finally, the study explored how these three changes interact or mediate one another to impact social risks. Through this analysis, six emerging types of third-generation social risks were identified.