Myounghoon Lee

We investigated the determinants of awareness, utilization, and satisfaction regarding financial aid programs for single-person households in South Korea and proposed policy enhancements. Our analysis employed logistic regression on microdata from the “2020 Housing Survey” by Statistics Korea, covering the nation and all age groups. We categorized single-person household traits affecting program awareness, utilization, and satisfaction into demographic, socio-economic, housing, and housing perception factors. The dependent variables included awareness, utilization status, and satisfaction levels of government-sponsored financial support programs, which were measured on a four-point Likert scale. The independent variables encompassed demographic, socio-economic, and housing characteristics, which were analyzed comprehensively. We identified factors that influenced awareness, utilization, and satisfaction and recommended tailored policy measures. The findings revealed lower awareness among elderly individuals, women, rural residents, and rental households. Moreover, older age, lower income, rental, and one-room dwelling households exhibited lower utilization rates, with decreased housing and residential environment satisfaction correlating with diminished program satisfaction. Due to the diverse characteristics of single-person households, strategic interventions are crucial. Measures to bridge information gaps, establish comprehensive long-term support systems, and develop differentiated policies tailored to single-person household traits are imperative for improving financial aid programs for this demographic.

Since 2001, South Korea has experienced sustained lowest-low fertility. This phenomenon has persisted despite the implementation of several social policies aimed at increasing fertility rates. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the demographics, socioeconomics, housing situation, residential environment, and housing expectation of newlyweds in terms of their fertility intentions in South Korea (within 5 years of marriage) in order to help the development of more effective housing policies. We extracted the factors on the basis of fertility theories and previous related studies and identified differential characteristics of the impact on fertility intentions for the first and for additional child(ren). The results show that fertility intention was higher in non-metropolitan and rental households. There was also a significant relationship between the anticipated period of a home purchase and fertility intention. In particular, for one-child families, the second child fertility intention was significantly affected. In conclusion, we quantitatively confirmed various factors that significantly impact the fertility plans of newlyweds. We suggest that the government implements housing policies on the basis of economic stability, the number of children, and the residential environment of newlywed couples.