Journal Archive

Home > Journal Archive
Cover Image
  • P-ISSN 2586-2995
  • E-ISSN 2586-4130
Cite

KDI Journal of Economic Policy. Vol. 46, No. 4, November 2024, pp. 93-125

https://doi.org/10.23895/kdijep.2024.46.4.93

× KDI Open Access is a program of fully open access journals to facilitate the widest possible dissemination of high-quality research. All research articles published in KDI JEP are immediately, permanently and freely available online for everyone to read, download and share in terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The changing relationship between labor market conditions and inflation in Korea†

Joonyoung Hur; Minsok Chae

Author & Article History

Manuscript received 23 June 2024; revision received 26 June 2024; accepted 14 August 2024.

Abstract

This paper examines the time-varying relationship between the labor market, inflation, and monetary policy, particularly in light of recent high inflation and a tight labor market, with a focus on data from Korea. Analyzing data from July 2009 to June 2023, we find that the impact of the job vacancy rate — an indicator of labor market conditions — on inflation has gradually increased over time. Furthermore, the responsiveness of inflation to changes in labor market conditions is found to be greater during periods of high inflation compared to low inflation. Lastly, the influence of monetary policy changes on the job vacancy rate is particularly pronounced during recessionary periods and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest the possibility of convexity in the relationship between the labor market and inflation in Korea. In such a scenario, raising interest rates during high inflation could lead to a relatively larger decrease in inflation than in job vacancies, which could create a favorable situation for monetary policy management.

Keywords

노동시장, 빈일자리율, 인플레이션, 통화정책, Labor Market, Job Vacancy Rate, Inflation, Monetary Policy

JEL Code

E31, E52, C32

상단으로 이동

KDIJEP