ABSTRACT
Self-employment has always served as an alternative path to paid work for both sexes. In Korea, the economy and the labor market shrank considerably at the end of the 1990s because of a serious financial crisis. As those who lost jobs or were in unstable jobs sought self-employment as an alternative income source, small and micro enterprises exerted an important influence on employment and labor turnover. The Korean government paid a great deal of attention to self-employment and established policies to support newly starting small businesses, providing financial aid and credit/loan services. Also, continued industrial restructuring and the development of computer technology fostered these small and micro enterprises as self-employed businesses and work-at-home businesses.
