Multidimensional poverty among working households in South Korea

ABSTRACT The present study examines multidimensional working poverty in South Korea by combining household income with material deprivation. It aims to capture the reality of working poverty, which is not adequately captured by the income measurement alone. By using data from the Korean Welfare Panel study in 2018, this study revealed three main findings: (a) the material deprivation rate was relatively low in Korea, although some households still suffered from deprivation influencing quality of life; (b) some working households experienced deprivation despite their high income; (c) working households whose heads were engaged in precarious employment were more likely to suffer from either material deprivation or income poverty. Future research should expand the deprivation measure and apply the longitudinal approach to determine more about people trapped in poverty in the long run. In terms of policy, a more generous social protection scheme is necessary for the working poor.