The labor problem which is directly related with the growth
of population is the supply side of the labor market. The
changes in the size of labor force will depend on the population
growth rate, changes in the age distribution, and labor force
participation rate. The key economic issue involved in this area
is then to what extent the economy is capable of absorbing the
available labor force. The rapid growth of output which does not
accompany a corresponding increase in employment will result in
a high unemployment rate, and the cost will be very high in
terms of economic efficiency and social welfare.

In fact in many underdeveloped countries, it has been
observed that despite the rapid growth of output the modern
sector of the economy has failed to absorb a sufficient quantity
of the large amount of labor available in the traditional sector.
This pattern holds for many Latin American countries such as
Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru, and Pueto Roco, and some of
the South Asian countries absorption is so common among
developing countries that U.N. General Assembly in the Fall of
1970 set as targets for the 1970 Development Decade fuller
employment and more social justice. In recent years, a good deal
of attention has been given to the employment problems such as
the extent and nature of unemployment and underemployment,
income inequality, the conditions of housing, health and
education. For example, the Committee for Asian Manpower
Studies(CAMS) has been actively organizing research efforts in
this area, and the International Labor Office (ILO) has launched
the World Employment Programme in 1970, and has made a
good deal of progress in their researches.

Although the Korean economy must have been faced with
the same kinds of employment problems as in other developing
countries, policy makers and researchers in this country paid
very little attention to this area and the problems have been
largely neglected. At this juncture, the research effort currently
initiated by ILCORK should be welcomed and a set of concrete
research programs should be worked out.

This note is intended to suggest several key research areas
related with the population growth and fuller utilization of
manpower resources in the Korean context.

(※서문에서 발췌한 내용임)

Ⅰ. Introduction
Ⅱ. Suggested Research Areas
1. Refinement and Modification the Korean Labor Force and
Employment Data
2 Labor Force Participation Rate and Labor Force Projection
3. Labor Absorption and Demand for Labor
4. Education, Training, and Manpower Program
5. Other Research Areas