Three in 10 women working in Seoul belonged to the bracket of “low income” earners as women on average were paid 63 percent of what men were paid, government data showed Thursday. 
 

According to statistics on gender equality unveiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, some 54 percent of female residents in Seoul aged over 15 were participating in the labor market as of 2018, compared to 71.9 percent of male residents in the capital.

Female workers were paid 2.1 million won in monthly salary on average in 2018, 63 percent of what men took home (3.34 million won.) The income disparity saw no improvement, with women on average paid about 63 to 64 percent less in monthly wage since 2014, the data showed.

The proportion of women who belong to the low-income bracket -- earning less than two thirds median income of all workers in the country (1.47 million won) -- was 27.5 percent, three times more than men. (9.6 percent.)

Some 41 percent of women were hired for temporary positions in 2018, compared to 27.3 percent for men.

The income disparity was the biggest in the health and welfare sector (49 percent), followed by the electricity industry (47 percent) and finance, insurance, manufacturing and public administration. (43 percent). The income gap was the narrowest in the environment sector (1 percent), followed by transportation (9 percent) and international organizations. (18 percent)

Among foreign residents in Seoul, 50.3 percent of women and 70.1 percent of men were participating in the labor market. The majority of the foreign women (46.9 percent) were working in the services sector, while most men (34.7 percent) were employed in the machinery industry.

(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)