Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/232421 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 8824
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
In the mid 19th century, pre-colonial Korea under the Joseon dynasty was increasingly isolated and lagging behind in its economic development. Joseon Korea was forced to sign unequal treaties with foreign powers as a result of which Christian missionaries entered the country and contributed to the establishment of private schools. We show that areas with a larger presence of Christians have higher literacy rates in 1930, during the Japanese colonial period. We also show that a higher number of Protestants is associated with higher female literacy, consistent with a stronger emphasis on female education in Protestant denominations.
Subjects: 
literacy
religion
missionaries
gender gap
Korea
JEL: 
I21
N35
Z12
J16
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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