Female labor force participation rate South Korea 2003-2020

In 2020, around 53 percent of the female population in South Korea aged 15 years and older participated in the labor force, showing a slight decrease from the previous year. The female labor force participation rate in South Korea has risen steadily in recent years but is still far below the average of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

South Korean women in the labor market

More and more women in South Korea are actively participating in the labor market, yet they are still severely underrepresented. The comparatively low proportion of female managers, female workers in legal professions, and female law makers illustrates the deep-rooted gender inequality in this society that is also reflected in pay, for example, in the significantly lower female to male earnings ratio.

This can be attributed to various social and cultural factors. After all, it is primarily women who are induced to work less due to child-rearing responsibilities. Poor chances of finding a job again after raising children cause many women to marry later or not at all.

The way towards gender equality

Many South Korean women are currently actively raising their voices, not least because achieving equality is a personally important issue for them. Particularly in view of the rapidly aging society, South Korea is thus faced with the task of reconciling work and family life and ultimately creating a sustainable social structure for everyone in the long term.