South Korean public institution gender pay gap enters 10% range

The gender pay gap in South Korean public institutions has fallen into the 10% range for the first time since statistics began being compiled. According to the ‘2025 Gender Wage Statistics Survey’ released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the average wage for women in 355 public institutions was 60.6 million won, compared to 74.8 million won for men, representing a 19.0% gap.

In the private sector, which includes 3,146 companies subject to disclosure, the gap remains higher at 29.3%. Men earned an average of 102.03 million won, while women earned 72.16 million won. While the private sector gap improved by 1.4 percentage points from the previous year, it remains significantly wider than the public sector.

Industry-specific data shows high volatility. The largest wage gaps were found in the wholesale and retail sectors and the construction industry, both at 42.3%. The smallest gaps were observed in the accommodation and food service industry (14.2%) and arts, sports, and leisure services (15.6%).

Officials noted that while improvements in female wages and working conditions are evident, structural issues such as occupational segregation, career interruptions, and the ‘glass ceiling’ continue to contribute to the remaining disparities.