Migration, the family, and the care of the aged in rural Korea: An investigation of a village in the Yŏngsŏ Region of Kangwŏn Province 1918-1983.

Investigation of an outlying village in Kangwŏn Province, South Korea for the period 1918-1983 reveals that before 1960, the patrilineal stem families created when the eldest son remained home and brought in a wife ensured that most aged persons lived in households with adequate income and domestic labor for their maintenance. The rapid industrialization of South Korea which began in the sixties has induced a massive migration of the young and middle-aged from the countryside to the city. Care for parents by eldest sons remains, nevertheless, a legally enforceable duty. Although couples in their fifties and sixties now continue to work rather than retire, and often live alone, this is most commonly a result of the family labor diversification strategies rather than breakdown of the stem family. In spite of recent changes, the stem family continues to supply the primary care and support for the aged in rural Korea.