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An OECD study found that Korean women in their mid-20s to mid-30s are more educated than their male peers but exhibit lower rates of employment. In its report “Education at a Glance 2024,” the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that while young South Korean women exhibit higher levels of tertiary education, “the gender disparity in the employment rates exists even with a tertiary qualification.” The OECD “Education at a Glance” report has often made policy recommendations for member nations regarding effective educational practices and funding, student achievement, the ideal teacher-to-student ratio, and public spending on education. This year’s report focused on “equity in education.” According to the report, 77% of South Korean women aged 25 to 34 had received tertiary education in 2023, compared to 63% of men in the same age range. Yet men exhibited employment rates of 83%, compared to 76% of women. That’s a difference of 7 percentage points. The disparity in employment was greater among people who had only graduated from high school. Women aged 25 to 34 without a college degree exhibit an employment rate of 44%, compared to 67% of men in the same cohort. That’s a difference of 23 percentage points. The gender disparity in labor markets showed up in other OECD countries. On average, men with a university diploma are employed at a rate of 90% among member nations, compared to 84% of women. For people with a high-school diploma, it was 72% to 47%. South Korea exhibited higher numbers of young people who are economically inactive, irrespective of education level or gender. Among people with a tertiary education, 13% of men and 21% of women were economically inactive. Korea ranked fourth among OECD members for economic inactivity among both men and women. While there was a clear correlation between level of education and income level, it was still weaker compared to that of other OECD nations. Based on 2022 data, people with a degree from a vocational school earned an average of 5% more in income than people with only a high school diploma. People with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of 17% more. For those with a master’s or above, the disparity was 61%. The OECD average, respectively, for each of these cohorts was 11%, 31% and 56%. By Shin So-yoon, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
