Class, Gender, And Housing in Korea

Abstract

This paper examines the relation between class and housing, and between gender and housing in Korea. It also considers the income level as an intervening variable between these relations. This paper summarizes the theoretical debates on class, gender, and housing. Analyzing Population and Housing Census data for 1975, 1980, and 1985, it suggests that the housing consumption situation in Korea is seriously polarized between the new middle class and the working class. It is also found that working class female heads of households are doubly excluded from access to home ownership due to both their class position and their gender. In short, class cleavage is the most important factor in determining housing inequality in Korea and gender is also an important factor contributing to the inequality