In fact, the Republic of Korea was viewed as one of the most equitable
developing countries during this time period. This is remarkable because welfare
policy was not widely used to reduce inequality during this period. The
World Bank (2004) and Choi and Kwon (1997) described how, because of the
land reform conducted in the late 1940s and total destruction of industrial facilities
during the Korean War (1950–1953), the Republic of Korea was equalized
in terms of income and assets. Also, an outward-oriented development strategy,
which focused primarily on labor-intensive manufacturing industries, boosted
employment and wages and helped spread the benefits of growth throughout the
population (Leipziger et al. 1992). The expansion and improvement of primary
and secondary education contributed greatly to a more equitable income distribution,
even though the primary goal of the education policy was to promote
economic growth (Choi and Kwon 1997; Kang 2001). Indeed, as Lee (1997)
showed, the Republic of Korea accumulated a stock of educated workers at an
unprecedented rate. The country’s high level of education contributed not only to
its rapid economic growth but also to equitable income distribution, because with
basic education available to virtually all segments of population, most Koreans
were able to take part in the industrialization process