Leaving Someone Behind: Coal Phase-Out in South Korea
41 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2025 Last revised: 31 Mar 2025
Date Written: March 27, 2025
Abstract
This study estimates the effect of coal power plant phase-out on employment in South Korea. We employ difference-indifference estimators to infer causality. We find that the phase-out does not affect displaced workers at coal power plants in Seocheon. However, the changes had an unequal impact across industries. We also find a decrease in female and less educated manufacturing workers and an increase in male construction workers. These ripple effects highlight the winners and losers of the coal phase-out in Seocheon. The policy must be inclusive to ensure that no one is left behind.
Keywords: Coal phase-out, Employment, South Korea
JEL Classification: Q4, L1, L5, H4
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