Gender pay gap South Korea 2023, by occupation

In 2023, male managers in South Korea earned approximately 10.6 million South Korean won per month on average while female managers earned about 8.8 million won. Overall, there was a pronounced gender gap in monthly salaries for South Korean employees across all occupation types. 

The gender pay gap in South Korea

Despite a significant increase in women's participation in the labor market in South Korea, progress in closing the gender pay gap has been slow. In 2022, South Korea had the widest gender pay gap among the countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with women earning only about 69 percent of men's wages. This pay gap affects women across various types of employment and all age groups, with women in their 50s being the most affected. 

Gender inequality and public perception

Gender inequality has persisted in South Korean society despite government efforts to address it. A recent survey found that discrimination against women was most widely perceived in the workplace. Interestingly, there were significant differences in how men and women viewed gender inequality in South Korea. Almost 75 percent of women believed that South Korean society treated women unfairly, whereas less than 20 percent of men shared this view. In fact, about 52 percent of men felt that men were treated unfairly. Additionally, another survey found that almost 65 percent of respondents expressed a pessimistic outlook on the future of gender equality in the country.