[Unofficial translation provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

“S. Korea: Ranks 31st in female employment rate, lags behind OECD for 20 Years,” 6 January 2025

South Korea's female employment indicators, such as the employment and labour force participation rates, have remained in the lower tiers of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the past two decades.

… Looking at Korea's OECD ranking, the female employment rate has dropped from 27th place (51.2%) in 2003 to 31st place in 2023, a decline of four positions. This means the country has remained in the lower ranks for the past 20 years.

… In particular, the employment rate for women with young children was lower than that of major advanced economies with similar economic size and population.

The Federation of Korean Industries commented, "In our country, the burdens of childcare and domestic work are key factors hindering women's participation in the workforce," adding, "To expand female employment to the levels seen in advanced nations, it is necessary to focus policy efforts on enabling women to better balance work and family life, allowing them to participate more actively in the economy."