Gender Disparities in Childhood Poverty and Employment Quality among Young Adult Workers in South Korea

Numerous studies have indicated that the quality of employment available to young adults when entering the labor market determines their future career paths. In particular, young adults who grew up in poverty are at greater risk, as they tend to be less competitive than their peers in the job market. However, only a few studies have explored the role of the length of poverty exposure and gender difference in this relationship. Thus, this study examines the impact of the duration of childhood poverty (1–14^th waves) on both employment status (employed vs. unemployed) and type (regular vs. non-regular workers) in the early years of labor market participation among young adults in South Korea. Data from young adults aged 25–34 years (N = 595) from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Survey (KLIPS, Korean Labor Institute; 22^nd wave) were analyzed for this study. The results showed a gendered effect on the relationship between the duration of childhood poverty and employment type. The duration of childhood poverty showed no association with the young South Korean's ability to procure jobs. However, it was associated with female participants’ employment type. This indicates that women with a longer duration in childhood poverty have more difficulties in obtaining a decent job. Therefore, developing gender-sensitive intervention policies that focus on providing equal education opportunities and facilitating a smooth school-to-work transition may ameliorate the intergenerational transmission of poverty.