Korea's Gender Inequality Index Ranks High, Gender Gap Index Ranks Low... 'Gender Bias' Retreats

Analysis by National Assembly Future Institute
High Competency Level but Low Equality Level
Increase in Prejudice Level Over the Past 10 Years

A survey revealed that Korean society is relatively lenient in developing women's human capabilities but stingy in granting them economic and political status commensurate with those capabilities. In particular, it was found that gender norms in Korea have recently regressed compared to the past.

According to the report titled "The Nature of Gender Relations in Korea Seen Through International Indices," released by the National Assembly Futures Institute on the 13th, Korea recently ranked high in the "Gender Inequality Index" but low in the "Gender Gap Index."

(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Kang Suhwan reporter = The 3.8 World Women's Day Daejeon Joint Action, a coalition of women's organizations in Daejeon, held a press conference on the morning of March 8, World Women's Day, in front of the north gate of Daejeon City Hall in Seo-gu, Daejeon, continuing solidarity speeches on gender equality. 2023.3.8

The Gender Inequality Index (GII) was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure the level of gender inequality in UN member countries in terms of health, empowerment, and labor. Korea ranked 20th out of 138 countries in 2010 and 15th out of 191 countries in 2021. The measurement indicators included health (maternal mortality ratio, adolescent birth rate), empowerment (proportion of female parliamentarians, population with at least secondary education), and labor (economic activity participation rate).

However, the results were opposite in the Gender Gap Index (GGI). The GGI was developed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) to measure the gender gap between men and women in health, education, economy, and politics. Korea ranked 92nd out of 115 countries in 2006 and 105th out of 146 countries this year. The measurement indicators included survival and health (sex ratio at birth, female healthy life expectancy compared to males), education (female literacy rate compared to males), economy (female economic participation compared to males), and politics (female parliamentarians compared to males).

[Source: National Assembly Future Institute]

Lee Sang-jik, Associate Research Fellow at the National Assembly Futures Institute, analyzed, "The Gender Inequality Index focuses on 'levels, input variables, and capabilities,' while the Gender Gap Index focuses on 'gaps, output variables, and equality.' Fundamentally, these two dimensions correspond, but Korea is an exceptional case in this relationship." He added, "Compared to countries with similar socioeconomic levels, Korea is characterized by a larger gender gap in economic and political activities."

The measurement results of gender perceptions also remained in the lower ranks compared to other countries. The Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI), developed by the UNDP, measures gender perceptions in political, educational, economic, and physical aspects. Korea ranked 38th out of 75 countries in a survey that confirmed the proportion of people without anti-female bias in all four categories.

[Source: National Assembly Future Institute]

Notably, since the 2010 survey, Korea was identified as the country with the second-largest decrease in the proportion of people without gender bias. Among 38 countries showing recent changes, 27 countries saw an increase in the proportion of people without gender bias. In Korea, the survey on the proportion of people with bias by area found that political (72.9%) and economic (65.5%) sectors exhibited severe bias.

Associate Research Fellow Lee emphasized, "More attention should be paid to the fact that the level of bias has been high both in the past and now," adding, "Special measures seem necessary to achieve gender equality in the political and economic sectors."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.