2. Labor Supply and Savings Responses to Increasing the Pension Eligibility Age in South Korea (with Jonathan M. Leganza and Devon Gorry), Revised & Resubmitted at International Tax and Public Finance (ITPF). Current Version: link, Presented at Southeastern Micro Labor Workshop

Abstract: We study how people responded to a reform in South Korea that increased the full pension eligibility age. Using regression discontinuity, we document the causal effects of the reform on several potential margins of adjustment. Consistent with studies in other settings, we find clear evidence of delayed benefit claiming. However, in contrast with other studies, we find little-to-no statistical evidence of changes in labor supply. We also find no evidence of changes in savings or spending. The South Korean pension is relatively new, and benefit replacement rates are comparatively modest, which may have contributed to muted responses.

3. The Effect of Involuntary Job Loss on Subjective Well-Being and Health Behaviors (with Reginald B. Hebert and Sunwoo Park), Revised & Resubmitted at European Journal of Health Economics (EJHE), Current Version: link

Abstract: Despite extensive research on the association between economic conditions and health outcomes, there is limited and inconclusive evidence regarding the effects of job displacement on subjective well-being and health behaviors. Using longitudinal job history and survey data on involuntary job loss due to plant closures and layoffs, we identify the causal effect of job loss on individuals' overall well-being, perceived economic and socioeconomic outcomes, and health behaviors in South Korea. We find that job loss is associated with a decrease in overall subjective well-being, which then increases as job search activity decreases. However, we do not find evidence that job loss is associated with overall health behaviors.

 4. Job Displacement and Household Consumption Patterns: Evidence from South Korea (with Changyeon Jung), Submitted, Current Version: link

Abstract: This paper provides evidence on the effects of job loss on household consumption behavior. Although prior research consistently shows that job loss reduces total household earnings and consumption, there is limited evidence regarding which specific spending categories are affected. Using representative household-level data, we find evidence that job displacement reduces household earnings and spending across several specific categories. Specifically, our findings show that job displacement reduces household expenditure on food and allowances for household members. Although job loss does not change large consumption commitments for housing and vehicles, we find that job loss results in smaller consumption commitments for communication expenses. Overall, our findings show that household consumption declines in essential and flexible spending categories following job loss, while large, fixed commitments remain unchanged.

5. The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Body Weight (with Reginald B. Hebert and Eye Eoun (Ian) Jung), Presented at ASHecon 2025: poster

Abstract: This study investigates the causal effect of recreational cannabis legalization laws (RCLs) on body mass index (BMI) using data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). While numerous studies have explored the association between marijuana use and appetite, few have examined the causal evidence between marijuana use and BMI. Leveraging the staggered adoption of RMLs as a natural experiment, we employ a synthetic difference‑in‑differences approach to estimate the effect of RMLs on BMI. We find clear evidence that RCLs increase cannabis consumption by approximately 3.6 percentage point. We also find that RCLs decrease BMI by approximately 0.54 percent on average. Moreover, we find little evidence for potential mechanisms or heterogeneous effects depending on gender and age groups. Moreover, we find evidence that the enforcement of RCLs decreases the probability of overweight and obesity.

6. The Effect of Retirement on Health Behaviors and Overall Life Satisfaction: Evidence from South Korea (with Devon Gorry and Jonathan M. Leganza)

Abstract: The South Korean labor market provides a unique institutional setting for studying the effects of retirement on health and well‑being. Under Korea’s mandatory retirement system, workers can be involuntarily separated from their firms upon reaching age 60, generating a sharp increase in retirement at that threshold. Exploiting this institutional cutoff, we examine how retirement affects health outcomes, health behaviors, and subjective well‑being. Preliminary results indicate that retirees exercise more and are less likely to be overweight, while showing little change in drinking or smoking behavior. However, life satisfaction declines substantially following retirement. These findings contrast with much of the existing literature, which typically documents improvements in well‑being around pension‑driven retirement. Our results highlight the importance of institutional context when evaluating the impacts of retirement.