In Korea, recent upward trends in age of marriage and downward trends in fertility rates have motivated the Korean government to provide childbirth grants and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) subsidies. Through such provisions, the government hopes to lower parents’ concerns regarding child-rearing expenses and to promote higher birth rates. Using combined data from the Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC) and the Korea Longitudinal Study of Women and Families (KLoWF), this study analyzes the relationship between birth rates and anticipated child-rearing expenses. The method of kernel matching was used to combine and analyze information on children from the KLoWF and the child care environment as well as on child-rearing expenses from the PSKC. The study’s findings suggest a significant but weak relationship between birth rates and the anticipated financial costs for raising a child. This relationship is more prominent in the low-education and low-income group than in economically well-situated and highly educated families. Based on the results, we suggest the following policy recommendations: firstly, further research needs to be conducted to determine the effects of governmental support on child-rearing. Secondly, customized support that considers family income and education should be provided to improve birth rates.

中文翻译：

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根据两个韩国面板数据的匹配，预期的育儿费用对分娩的影响

在韩国，最近结婚年龄的上升趋势和生育率的下降趋势促使韩国政府提供了分娩补助金和幼儿教育和护理（ECEC）补贴。通过这些规定，政府希望减少父母对育儿费用的担忧，并促进更高的出生率。本研究使用韩国儿童小组研究（PSKC）和韩国妇女与家庭纵向研究（KLoWF）的综合数据，分析了出生率和预期的抚养子女费用之间的关系。内核匹配方法用于合并和分析有关KLoWF和儿童保育环境中的儿童以及PSKC中的育儿费用的信息。该研究结果表明，出生率与抚养孩子的预期财务成本之间存在显着但微弱的关系。这种关系在低学历和低收入人群中比在经济状况良好和受过高等教育的家庭中更为突出。根据结果​​，我们提出以下政策建议：首先，需要进行进一步的研究以确定政府支持对抚养子女的影响。其次，应提供考虑到家庭收入和教育的定制支持，以提高出生率。需要进一步研究以确定政府支持对抚养子女的影响。其次，应提供考虑到家庭收入和教育的定制支持，以提高出生率。需要进一步研究以确定政府支持对抚养子女的影响。其次，应提供考虑到家庭收入和教育的定制支持，以提高出生率。