This book examines welfare effects of gender-related inequalities in Korean households and
labor markets. It uses subjective well-being data to show that reductions of excessive levels
of working hours did improve family well-being in the past decade. Moreover benefits from
major life events like marriage can differ greatly by sex if traditional gender roles dominate
and women contribute much less than men to household earnings. Furthermore the study examines
dynamics in rural East Asian economies and their impact on individual welfare outcomes. Both
land redistribution and productivity-enhancing reforms are found to have been highly beneficial
for Korean development. The Indonesian case study demonstrates the importance of cash-crop
decisions and the growing non-farm sector for rural development.
