Estimates of Net Internal Migration for Korea 1975-80

Abstract

Information on migration has been enumerated in Korean censuses since 1970. It includes the place of birth, the place of residence five years ago and the place of residence one year prior to the census date. These sets of information constitute the basic data source for research on recent migration in Korea. Though valuable, however, the data are known to be subjeted to considerable reporting errors. For instance, the total number of net urban-rural migrants during the five years 1965-70 as reported in the 1970 census was estimated to amount to 61-63 per cent of that expected from indirect census estimates (ESCAP, 1980: 12), and the equivalent 1980 reporting covers about 75 per cent of that expected from the census estimates presented below. The reporting on migration, status during the one year before the census appear to be no better than those for the five year

span. In addition, the quality of data is known to differ significantly in terms of age and spatial unit adopted. Therefore, so far as the net volumes and rates of migration are concerned, the best information we can obtain is yet the estimates based on two census populations. These also are the only information which enable us to examine the trends and patterns of migration in Korea over the 25 years since 1955 and for the earlier years 1925-40.