Structural Constraints on Female Labor: Gender Inequality in South Korea's Private Sector from 2015-Present

Abstract

Despite sustained policy efforts to promote gender equality, significant gender imbalance persists in South Korea’s labour market, particularly within the private sector. This study examines determinants in female labour force participation in South Korea’s private sector from 2015 to the present, focusing on employment stability, wage disparities, managerial representation, and age-specific participation patterns. Drawing on gender stratification theory, the study analyses how social norms and institutional practices jointly shape women’s labour market outcomes. Using national labour statistics, the analysis reveals three key findings. First, substantial gender wage gaps persist across both regular and irregular employment, despite similar working days between women and men. Second, women remain significantly underrepresented in managerial and executive positions, even as participation in professional and service occupations has increased. Third, female employment follows a pronounced life-course pattern, with sharp declines during childbearing years and partial recovery at later ages, reinforcing cumulative career disadvantages. These findings suggest that rising female labour force participation has not translated into equitable employment outcomes. Instead, gender inequality is reproduced through labour market segmentation, weak enforcement of equality legislation, and persistent gendered expectations surrounding caregiving responsibilities. By focusing explicitly on the private sector and recent labour market trends, this study contributes updated empirical evidence and a structural explanation for the persistence of gender imbalance in South Korea’s labour market. The findings underscore the need for policy interventions that prioritize employment quality, effective enforcement, and institutional reform alongside participation rates.