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Participatory Welfare In South Korea : Meaning And Issues, K. H., Raymond Chan

CAPS Working Paper Series

‘Participatory Welfare’ is the term coined by the current Roh Moo-hyun government to distinguish its welfare reform from the previous Kim Dae-jung government’s ‘Productive Welfare’ policies. While the use of term ‘participatory’ is a convenient extension of its slogan ‘Participatory Government’, the details of Participatory Welfare are still evolving and results have yet to be seen. Observed from the documents and policies proposed or implemented so far, it has two key dimensions: promoting ‘participation’ and building up of a ‘welfare community’. The reforms are located in a context of civil society calling for greater participation and reforms in an increasingly …