{
  "id": 9985652,
  "title": "South Korea's gender pay gap grows as women get older",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/south-koreas-gender-pay-gap-grows-as-women-get-older-9985652",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-26T10:44:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/south-korea-s-gender-pay-gap-grows-as-women-get-older/a-79431285?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "By age 27 in South Korea, women earn 8% less than their male counterparts, but by their late 50s, this gap widens significantly to 50%. This stark disparity is highlighted in a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report which reveals that South Korea retains the highest gender pay gap among OECD nations since records began in 1992. The root cause, according to Korean activist Min Hee Kim, lies not just in unequal pay but in the narrowing career opportunities women encounter as they age, compounded by the effects of career breaks, precarious jobs, and discrimination.\n\nHRW interviewed 41 South Korean women aged 28 to 87, uncovering how discrimination has evolved rather than diminished. While direct dismissal of women for marriage has been illegal since the 1980s, caregiving responsibilities continue to push women into lower-paid sectors upon their return to the workforce. Despite higher education rates for women since the 1980s, the job market has not followed suit, with women earning 22% less than men one year after graduation, according to a 2024 study. Many women interviewed by HRW found limited job options post-career interruption, such as roles in call centers, cleaning, or caregiving.\n\nWomen's wages peak in their late 30s, after which they steadily decline, as evidenced by Labor Ministry survey data cited by HRW. The Gender Ministry attributes the gap to career interruptions, occupational segregation, and discrimination within organizations. Retiree J. Mi-sook, 53, noted that her next employer failed to recognize her three years of experience, relegating her to an entry-level position with a lower salary. As women accumulate less work experience, their pay and job stability diminish further.\n\nKim emphasizes structural discrimination, which is so ingrained that even those affected may not recognize it. Mandatory retirement ages and the \"peak wage\" system, which reduces older workers' pay in their final years, should be abolished, according to HRW. Women receive 53% of men's National Old Age Pension on average, a 47% gap. Kim argues that the disadvantages women face extend from their first paycheck to their pension, impacting part-time work in their 40s and low wages in their 50s.\n\nThe government plans a phased increase in the statutory retirement age from 60 to 65, but Kim contends that this is insufficient. Solving the issue requires equal pay for equal work, transparent wage structures, and viewing care as a public responsibility rather than a burden on families and women. HRW's findings, while comprehensive, may not capture the full scope of discrimination, as most interviewees were recruited through civic organizations in Seoul. Kim emphasizes the need to understand which women, in specific roles, suffer from age and gender discrimination.",
  "summary": "A new report shows how in South Korea, women on average earn less and have fewer employment opportunities throughout their lives.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "South Korea's gender pay gap grows as women get older",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/south-koreas-gender-pay-gap-grows-as-women-get-older",
        "published": "2026-09-26T10:44:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tempo.co English",
        "title": "South Korea's Gender Pay Gap Grows as Women Get Older",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/south-koreas-gender-pay-gap-grows-as-women-get-older-9993947",
        "published": "2026-09-26T13:42:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}