TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Jung, Yeonha
AU  - Kim, Minki
AU  - Lee, Munseob
        TI  - The Enduring Legacy of Educational Institutions: Evidence from Hyanggyo in Pre-Modern Korea
        PY  - 2025/Sep/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 18123
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp18123
        AB  - This study examines the long-term impact of Hyanggyo, state-sponsored educational institutions established during the early Joseon Dynasty in Korea (1392-1592), on human capital accumulation. Although these schools largely ceased functioning as educational centers by the late 16th century, their influence has endured to the present day. Drawing on a newly constructed township-level dataset, we find a robust positive association between historical exposure to Hyanggyo and modern educational attainment. This relationship appears to be driven by enduring local demand for education, supported by three complementary findings. First, regions with greater historical exposure experienced larger gains in Japanese literacy during colonial era school expansions. Second, residents in these areas express stronger pro-education attitudes today. Third, historically exposed regions exhibited lower fertility rates, consistent with a quantity–quality tradeoff in parental investment. Together, our findings highlight the lasting legacy of early educational institutions.
        KW  - Hyanggyo
KW  - Human capital
KW  - historical institutions
KW  - Joseon
KW  - cultural transmission
        ER  -