Women in the Workplace

Contents

• The Role of Women in Social Drinking
• Workplace Dress
• Gender Gap Worst in Developed World

Like most countries, Korean women may not be treated as well in the workplace as their male counterparts in terms of salaries and promotions. Nevertheless, Korean women have made significant strides in the world of work over the last 20 years. Men and women work comfortably side by side and some companies even have policies to increase the number of professional women employees.

Expatriate women who work in Korea will be treated differently than foreign men but also with more respect than Korean women are generally shown. It is awkward for a Korean man to be supervised by a woman so the women will need to take care to establish her position of power while at the same time, treating her subordinates with kindness. Sexual harassment, including comments and inappropriate physical contact, may be experienced by Western women working in Korean organizations, particularly in the context of drinking. Such behavior violates Korean law and need not be tolerated. A simple and stern ,no' or 'stop that', is likely to end such behavior. Women workers are not always invited to participate in the important after-work socializing but, at the same time, it is easier for a woman to refuse these time-consuming events than it is for a man. Koreans recognize that women are responsible for caring for their families.

top

The Role of Women in Social Drinking

Traditionally, a good Korean woman didn't drink. However, this custom is changing, especially among college women who often enjoy drinking alongside their male classmates. Younger, married women can be found drinking moderately with their friends or husbands, but serious drinking is still mostly left to the men.
Women who are found in some drinking establishments are considered to be a different sort. These young, beautiful females are hired to sit with an equal number of men, pour their drinks and make friendly conversation. The price of their company is not cheap so usually it is paid for by the men's boss but do not confuse them with prostitutes. It goes without saying that wives and girlfriends are not welcome at such places

Expatriate women working in Korea want to be mindful to dress conservatively. Clothes that might not be considered seductive in one's home country may reinforce the image Koreans have of Western women being sexually free and may invite unwanted advances. Low-cut blouses or short skirts, though worn by young Korean women out having fun, are best avoided by Western women when in the presence of work colleagues.

Workplace Dress

Koreans place a high value on appearance and this is true in the workplace, too. Dress is a reflection of one's character and one's status and it also demonstrates respect to those one is meeting. Expatriates in Korea may find that Koreans dress more formally than those in their home country. It is best to err on the side of conservative. For businessmen, a tie is always necessary, and when you leave the office, a suit jacket should be worn. Women should dress professionally.

Working mothers in Korea carry a double burden of being a worker and a parent. Few childcare facilities exist and they are considered to be inferior to care by a family member. The best option is to have grandparents provide care. Some women who expect to have a demanding professional career decide not to have children. The government, concerned about the low birthrate, is beginning to look at ways to provide support for families with working mothers.

top

Gender Gap Worst in the Developed World

Though women have full political rights, their place in Korean society is weak. The country's gender gap is the worst in the developed world, according to a report by the World Economic Forum.

South Korea places 108th in the world for gender equality, ranked between the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, according to the World Economic Forum's in-depth study on gender equality. That's actually a decrease from 92nd place in 2006. This is even more striking when you consider that the WEF scores South Korea quite highly on providing equal education and health care for women. The gap, it turns out, comes from a lack of political power within Seoul's famously boy's-club political culture and, to a greater extent, economic empowerment. The Korean economic miracle still belongs to South Korea's men.

How difficult is South Korea's notoriously competitive business environment for women? The Atlantic's Derek Thompson recently (December 2012) looked at pay gaps around the world, and South Korea's was remarkable: Women without children earn about 13 percent less than men, a pay gap about twice as wide as America's. But that gap nearly quadruples if Korean women have children, at which point they earn an astounding 45 percent less than men. That means that a mother in South Korea makes barely more than half what her male counterpart makes. It's hardly surprising, then, that South Korean women have only 55 percent labor force participation, compared to 76 percent for men.

The subtext of this pay gap is pretty clear, and part of a larger issue that extends well beyond the workplace in South Korea: Women are expected to leave work once they have children, to put their familial role first. That might also help explain the fact that there are five men on the Korean legislature for every one woman.

top