Boy-Girl Differences in Parental Investments: No More Son Preference in Korea?

Eleanor J Choi, Hanyang University
Jisoo Hwang, Bank of Korea

Sex ratio at birth remains highly skewed in many Asian countries due to son preference. In South Korea, however, the ratio declined from 116.5 boys per 100 girls in 1990 to nearly the natural ratio of 107 in 2007. In this paper, we investigate whether son preference has disappeared in Korea by investigating parent’s time and monetary inputs by the sex of their child. Using multiple datasets in Korea we find that girls are more likely to live with full-time working mothers and spend more time on household chores compared to boys. Findings on private education spending are mixed.