Employment rate South Korea 2000-2023, by gender

In 2023, the employment rate of men and women in South Korea was about 71.3 and 54.1 percent, respectively. While the employment rate of South Korean men is significantly higher than that of women, the employment rate of women has risen steadily over the past decade. 

Gender equality in South Korea

Gender equality is one of the most important issues in South Korea. The country has the largest pay gap between men and women among OECD countries. There have been many attempts to promote women's rights, but the gap is still wide in all areas of society. Although women are increasingly in leadership and decision-making positions, a survey showed that few respondents are optimistic that gender inequality will improve soon.

Changing perceptions of marriage

While more women are joining the workforce nowadays, South Korean women are less likely to marry and start a family. According to a survey, a significant proportion of South Korean women said they were unlikely to marry. The underlying reasons were mainly worries about childbirth and childcare, lack of time for their own lives, and worries about their relationship with future in-laws. Women also showed higher levels of ambivalence about their current family relationships, were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, and were more likely to consider divorce an acceptable option.