Abstract
Using data on Korean youths aged 15–29, this study illustrates the processes through which Korean youths make transitions to adulthood along with their life course, focusing on four transition markers—school enrollment, labor force participation, marriage, and the establishment of an independent household. Distinguishing young people’s status in the productive and reproduction spheres, I consider the combination of study and work statuses to represent the productive sphere and the combination of marriage and household headship to represent the reproductive sphere. I examine how these statuses change with age, with an explicit focus on gender differences. The investigation reveals the significance of educational institutions for transitions to adulthood among Korean youths and also substantial gender differences in the transition process. I also investigate heterogeneity in these statuses of young people by looking at how parental education and occupation affect the transition statuses. Family background matters more for Korean women’s transition to adulthood than it does for Korean men’s.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
