How can Korea Boost Potential Output to Ensure Continued Income Convergence?

April 3, 2014

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Format: Chicago

Sonali Jain-Chandra, and Longmei Zhang. How can Korea Boost Potential Output to Ensure Continued Income Convergence?, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2014) accessed November 21, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

Korea’s rapid growth has slowed in recent years, suggesting lower potential growth. This paper uses an array of techniques, including statistical filters, a multivariate model and the production function, to estimate Korea’s potential growth. The main finding is that trend growth has fallen from around 4¾ percent during 2000-07 to around 3¼ -3½ percent by 2011-12. Absent reforms, it is projected to fall further to around 2 percent by 2025, primarily due to declining working-age population. However, Korea’s potential growth can be maintained at a higher level by putting in place a comprehensive structural reform agenda, including increased female and youth labor force participation, liberalization of product and labor market regulation. Staff simulations suggest that such reforms could lift potential growth by around 1¼ percentage point over the next decade, maintaining potential growth at around 3¼ percent, counteracting the effect of population aging, and enabling Korea to continue to converge to income levels of the United States.

Subject: Employment protection, Labor, Potential output, Production, Productivity, Total factor productivity

Keywords: Employment protection, Global, Income convergence, Labor force, OECD employment outlook database, OECD frontier, OECD indicator, Physical capital, Potential output, Product market regulation, Production function approach, Productivity, Structural reforms, Total factor productivity, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

15
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2014/054
Stock No:

WPIEA2014054
ISBN:

9781484350324
ISSN:

1018-5941

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