Basic Directions of Korea’s Welfare Policy for Social Cohesion

Abstract

□ 사회통합에 관한 이론연구 □ 사회통합에 대한 국민의 주관적 의식 분석 □ 한국의 사회통합 관련 객관적 지표 분석 □ 국내외 사회통합정책의 기본방향 및 효과성 분석 □ 사회통합을 위한 중도 실용정책의 기본방향

In the last decade, Korea has gone through many socioeconomic changes facilitated by two financial crises, with social dangers and conflicts amplified and the financial resources for social cohesion undermined. It is widely accepted that increasing socioeconomic disparities and inequity are the essential factors that are undermining social cohesion. To ride against the current tide of challenges to promote social cohesion, active intervention to social dangers and conflicts is needed along with the establishment of the institutional infrastructure. The purpose of the study is to discuss the basic directions of Korea’s welfare policy and the policy implementation to achieve social cohesion. As the main research methods, a literature review on domestic and foreign materials was conducted for the review of studies and theories on social cohesion, and a telephone survey was conducted to assess the awareness and needs of people regarding social cohesion. Also, a secondary analysis on the relevant documentation was performed. In chapter 1, the relationship between the concepts of social cohesion and inequity is theoretically reviewed; in chapter 2, the need of the welfare policy for social cohesion is discussed in detail; in chapter 3, a historical review on the characteristics of Korea’s welfare system is presented; and in chapter 4, the telephone survey results were analyzed and the secondary analysis was conducted to assess whether socioeconomic changes have actually changed people’s minds. Lastly, chapter 5 presents, based on the findings of the study, basic directions of Korea’s welfare policy that would commit the government to efficiently respond to the dangers posed by domestic as well as international socioeconomic changes, and redress the inequity in the country