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Abstract
This dissertation contains three chapters on food and health policies in South Korea. All three chapters estimate the effects of the South Korean government’s food policies on health.Chapter 1 evaluates the effects of an early warning system for food-borne outbreaks. In June 2006, over 3,600 students in 46 schools became sick due to a food-borne illness outbreak in the Seoul Capital Area in South Korea. In February 2008, the South Korean government responded by introducing an early warning system (EWS) for food-borne outbreaks in all schools. This study evaluates the effects of this warning system using monthly administrative panel data in South Korea from January 2002 through December 2020. Using the regression discontinuity, differences-in-discontinuities, and difference-in-differences approach, we could not find evidence that the EWS reduces the number of outbreaks and cases of food-borne illness.
Chapter 2 evaluates the effects of voluntary restaurant sanitary grades. Restaurants are the leading cause of food-borne illnesses in South Korea. In December 2009, Seoul City introduced voluntary restaurant sanitary grades to reduce the incidence of food-borne illness. In May 2017, the program became permanent in all regions in South Korea. This study evaluates the effects of the Seoul City restaurant sanitary grades using monthly administrative panel data in South Korea from January 2002 through April 2013. Using a difference-in-difference-in-differences approach, we could not find evidence that the Seoul city restaurant sanitary grades significantly reduce the number of outbreaks and cases of food-borne illness.
Chapter 3 estimates the effects of NutriPlus, a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, on birth outcomes using an instrumental variable approach. We do not find statistically significant evidence that NutriPlus spending improves the incidence of low birth weight, very low birth weight, normal birth weight, and premature birth. However, we find that increasing NutriPlus spending by 100% reduces the average birth weight by 4.369 grams and the likelihood of high birth weight by approximately 0.021%. The results imply that the effect on the average is driven by a reduction in high birth weights.