This paper deals with effects of outmigration of young people on the lives of the elderly in rural Korea. Data were collected by life stories method and participant observation in 1988-1989, from a village in Kimjae, Chunbuk, Korea. Old people, over 60, living alone were interviewed.
As the Korean society becomes industrialized and urbanized rapidly, young people migrate to work in the urban areas, while older people stay in rural areas to vcontinue traditional work. The older parents have separated their children from farming and have subsidized the urban young migrants. This is the result of the family labor diversification strategy. In this way they can escape the negative self-image they have about rural life. The most important effect has been a change in the ideas concerning rights and responsibilities between children and old parents : the generational cycle is fading away in rural Korea. Many old people have sold their land and have become farm laborers since their children are not dependant on the land. Old parents still expect that their children will take carare of them in time of need. This threatens their traditional sources of old age security since alternative arrangements for their care not available.
The Korea society should concern with the aging´s contribution in its rural development by focusing on the their needs and potential to integrate in the society.
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