As the economy has been industrializing and urbanizing, the traditional function of family system in elderly care has been weakening. Everyone has to reserve sufficient income resources for his or her old age by oneself.
There are well-designed public income security systems in developed countries and the main income source of retired people is public transfer income. But in Korea, where the public income security system is not firmly established, the elders mainly depend on their labor income and/or private transfer income.
According to an analysis with the raw data of the 2006 Farm Household Economy Survey, the main source of household income of over 61-year-old farmers is farm income. About thirty five percent (34.8%) of them had farm household income not sufficient to cover the household expenditure. The elderly farmers couldn't prepare for their old age enough and are very poor.
Considering the weakening function of the family system and the poor lives of elderly farmers, young farmers have to prepare their old ages thoroughly.
According to the results of an interview survey of under 60 years old farmers, only 53.2% of them are subscribed to the national pension, which means the others of them cannot be protected through the basic income safety net. Moreover, the subscribers are expected to receive only small pension benefits because they are applied to very low income level. Furthermore the pension subscription rate of their wives is very low. It was also found that young farmers are most concerned with health(50.0%), followed by income earnings(26.6%) and medical costs(14.4%) after retirement. They thought that it is desirable for them to prepare for their retirement life on their own and receive family or government supports additionally.
According to the analysis with the raw data of the 2006 Farm Household Economy Survey, the subscription rate of national pension in the case of young farmers under 50 years old is very low. Also the younger they are, the poorer their preparations for old age.
Young farmers may have several alternatives to prepare for their retirement depending on the returns from farm investment. But under the uncertainty of future investment circumstances, they need to choose more safe ways for old ages.
Here we conclude that it is desirable that young farmers utilize the public income security system foremost and several alternatives additionally for their old ages.
We suggest several ideas to fulfill the aims as the following: First, the government needs to reinforce public relations activities for the National Pension System, that is, the public income security system. Second, the government should recommend farmers' wives to subscribe to the national pension. Third, the government should facilitate the subscription of young farmers at proper income levels so that they can receive sufficient pension benefits. Fourth, the government should increase the subsidy for farmers' pension premium. Fifth, it is necessary that the reverse mortgage implemented since July 2007 is modified and applied in rural areas. Sixth, the government should prepare several incentives for wealthy farmers to utilize other methods, including private pensions. Seventh, the government should provide opportunities so that elderly farmers with good health can take appropriate jobs to spend their leisure times and earn some income.
Researchers: Kyeong-Hwan Choi and Eui-Sik Hwang
Research period: 2007. 1～2007. 11
E-mail Address: kyeong@krei.re.kr, eshwang@krei.re.kr