# Gender equality and wage gaps in South Korea > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/gender-equality-and-wage-gaps-in-south-korea > Updated: 2026-09-14T22:14:48.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. Recent data indicates a complex landscape regarding gender equality in South Korea’s labor market. In the public sector, the gender pay gap has reached the 10% range for the first time, with women in 355 public institutions earning an average of 60.6 million won compared to 74.8 million won for men. In the private sector, the gap remains wider at 29.3%. While a corporate gender diversity index for 394 major companies rose to 58.0 points, reports show a decline in the proportion of women in high-level executive positions, falling from 5.6% to 5.5%. Despite an increase in the total number of female executives, male executive numbers grew at a significantly higher rate. Disparities in promotion opportunities persist, with women having approximately one-quarter the opportunity of men to reach executive roles. Structural challenges, including occupational segregation and the ‘glass ceiling’, continue to influence these wage and leadership gaps. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-14: South Korean corporate gender diversity index rises as female executive share falls Despite rising corporate diversity indices in South Korea, the share of women in top executive roles has dropped to 5.5%, with promotion opportunities for women at only one-quarter the rate of men. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korean-corporate-gender-diversity-index-rises-as-female-executive-share-falls ### 2026-09-06: South Korean public institution gender pay gap enters 10% range South Korea's public institution gender pay gap has dropped to 19.0% for the first time, entering the 10% range, though the private sector gap remains higher at 29.3%. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korean-public-institution-gender-pay-gap-enters-10-range --- Cite as: Gender equality and wage gaps in South Korea. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/gender-equality-and-wage-gaps-in-south-korea