There are laws prohibiting job discrimination against minorities such as women, the handicapped, and the elderly, but the discrimination just won't go away. A Korea Labor Institute (KLI) survey of 1,000 companies reveals that discrimination against specific social classes and minorities is widespread and takes place without regard to the size and kind of company.
What one notices first about KLI's findings is that age discrimination is particularly serious. There is only 33.7 percent probability that a company will choose someone over the age of 50 when he has the same ability as someone who is not. That is reason for a lot of concern when you consider how Korean society is ageing by the day. There is a rapid drop in the number of children supporting their parents and at the same time Korea has almost no welfare support for the elderly. The elderly could be reduced to a new variety of poor. Age discrimination is no longer an important issue only for those directly involved.
Discrimination against women is no less prevalent. Against married women it is more serious. Women have only a 37.1 percent chance of being hired compared to men, and married women are even more disadvantaged than unmarried women in that equation. Between the two, married women have only 36.9 percent chance of being hired. That being the case it is only natural that married women account for a high number of people in irregular jobs, which are by definition lack stability.
What is of particular note is that companies that discriminate against women discriminate against other minorities. Companies that shun hiring women shun hiring married women, divorcees, people with job experience, and high school graduates, and companies that discriminate against married women discriminate against divorcees, the handicapped, and people of higher ages. Depending on how you look at it, you start to hope that if discrimination against women is actively dealt with then other forms of discrimination will be alleviated as well. The government and business need to realize that even without that discrimination against women, who account for half of society, is a most important issue.
The Hankyoreh, 12 April 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Job Discrimination Still Serious |
