THE FACTORS AFFECTING LIFE EXPECTANCY IN SOUTH KOREA

Abstract

The aim of the research is to examine the relationship between each of four factors affecting life expectancy and life expectancy and thereby provide primary data for government policy. First, the research chose four factors among many factors affecting life expectancy. The four factors chosen are as follows: infant mortality, educational attainment, electric power consumption, and internet. And multiple regression analysis was conducted with data of South Korea drawn from World Bank databank. Regression specification error test (RESET) also conducted so as to check whether a regression model specified is adequate. The findings show that life expectancy has a positive relationship with educational attainment, electric power consumption, and education, while there is a negative relationship between infant mortality and life expectancy. It also shows that an effect of electric power consumption on life expectancy is so weak. But infant mortality has the strongest effect on life expectancy in the four factors. Given that infant mortality reflects a level of health care, it could be assumed that life expectancy in South Korea would be much mediated by health care.