If you look at the specifics, however, you see that despite the quantitative increase, women work in qualitatively poor situations. 14 percent of them are unpaid family members. 62 percent are irregular workers, meaning they are either temporary or hired on a day to day basis, and the ratio of irregular workers continues to rise. Most women are in unstable work environments, and they still earn only 57 percent of what men do. In other words, there is a dark side to this new era of 10 million women working the economy, namely exploitation through low wages.
Lately there has been a rapid rise in women entering the public life, the legal profession, or certain highly professional areas. But that still accounts for a small percentage of women. Women with more than high school education, that is, women who one can assume would like to earn money, amount to only 57 percent of the female population, the lowest among OECD member states. Essentially half of the women who have been invested in with education remain in limbo and economically inactive.
Korean society is aging rapidly, so putting the female population to use will be essential in making up for the labor shortage. In addition, it is when the country treats it female workforce right that our economy and society can develop to a new level. The abolition of unseen forms of discrimination in the corporate environment and resolving issues such as childcare can be delayed no longer.
The Hankyoreh, 20 July 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
