A Study on the Diversity of Baby Boomers in Korea

Abstract

◈ 베이비 부머 집단내의 다양성 ◈ 베이비 부머의 삶의 다차원성 ◈ 베이비 부머의 특성 및 욕구에 따른 정책적 과제

Accounting for 14.6% of the national population, Korean baby boomers are, in terms of their socioeconomic backgrounds, a widely heterogeneous group. However, they have by and large been lumped together in most of contemporary policy discourse as "soon-to-be" senior citizens. To chart effective policy options that are responsive to the heterogeneity of baby boomers, it is necessary to come up with a clear picture of their different characteristics and needs. This study categorizes baby boomers into 8 types according to their "gender", "income", and "employment status". As a result, the 8 types of baby boomers are: male typeⅠ (5.7%), male typeⅡ (15.9%), male typeⅢ (1.4%), male typeⅣ (24.4%), female typeⅠ (14.3%), female typeⅡ (10.4%), female typeⅢ (12.5%), and female typeⅣ (15.5%). This study employs a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. On the quantitative side, this study analyzed a national survey conducted in 2010 by KIHASA on 3,027 baby boomers. To add here qualitative data, the authors looked in-depth into 33 cases (about 4 cases for each type) to better grasp of the different needs of Korea baby boomers. The first part of this study consists of a review of the socioeconomic backgrounds of baby boomers by type and the life histories of selected interviewees. The second part discusses, based on the survey data and interviews, the history, current living conditions, and future of baby boomers. In the last part, the authors present the living profiles of each type and policy suggestions.