Women's Employment Rate Rises 5%P Over 10 Years... Fewer Women Experiencing Career Interruptions

'2024 Women's Economic Activity White Paper' Released
Gender Gap in Employment Rates by Age Also Narrows
Number of Unemployed Women Shows Recent Decline

Over the past decade, the employment rate of women across all age groups has increased. In particular, the employment rate significantly rose among women in their 30s, when career interruptions typically begin, and those in their 50s, representing the older age group. The number of economically inactive women not working also decreased last year.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 16th that they published the "2024 Women's Economic Activity White Paper" containing these findings. According to the white paper, the female employment rate in 2023 increased across all age groups compared to 2013, ten years earlier. The female employment rate was 54.1%, up 5.2 percentage points from 48.9% in 2013 and 1.2 percentage points higher than the previous year’s 52.9%.

Notably, the 30-34 age group saw an increase of 14.6 percentage points over the decade, and the 55-59 age group rose by 11.3 percentage points.

The gender gap in employment rates by age also significantly narrowed. In 2023, the gender gap in employment rates was highest at 26.0 percentage points for the 35-39 and 40-44 age groups. This was followed by 45-49 (23.4 percentage points) and 50-54 (20.3 percentage points). The gender gap in employment rates for those aged 60 and above was also high, exceeding 19.0 percentage points.

Especially, the employment rate of highly educated women (college graduates or above) was 68.2%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the previous year.

The number of unemployed women has also been on a recent downward trend. Female unemployment rose from 308,000 in 2013 to 484,000 in 2020, an increase of more than 1.5 times, but then decreased to 353,000 in 2023. The female unemployment rate in 2023 was 2.8%, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous year.

By age group, those aged 60 and above had the highest number of unemployed women at 71,000, followed by 25-29 at 66,000 and 20-24 at 41,000.

The female unemployment rate was highest among 20-24-year-olds at 5.4%, followed by 25-29 at 5.1%, and 15-19 at 4.7%. Compared to ten years ago, the unemployment rates decreased in the 15-19, 20-24, and 25-29 age groups, while other age groups saw increases or no change.

The number of economically inactive women not working significantly decreased last year. Economically inactive population refers to those who are neither employed nor unemployed, including homemakers who take full responsibility for housework and childcare, students attending school, and elderly people unable to work.

The number decreased by 214,000 from 10,442,000 in 2022 to 10,228,000 in 2023. The economically inactive female population in the 30-39 age group also dropped by 127,000, from 1,098,000 in 2022 to 971,000 in 2023. Although the number increased by 49,000 among those aged 60 and above, the economically inactive population decreased in most age groups except teenagers.

Provided by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

On the other hand, the economically inactive male population slightly increased. According to the white paper, the male economically inactive population in 2023 was 5,976,000, an increase of 79,000 from the previous year. In particular, the economically inactive male population in their 30s increased. The number of economically inactive males aged 30-39 rose by 6,000, from 310,000 in 2022 to 316,000 in 2023.

The number of women who added "family care" as a reason for career interruption was 1,349,000 last year, a decrease of 48,000 compared to 1,397,000 in 2022. The statistics for women in their 30s also decreased by 56,000 compared to the previous year.

Looking at the size of career-interrupted women by age, those in their 40s were the largest group at 590,000 last year, followed by women in their 30s at 544,000, those aged 50-54 at 150,000, and 15-29 at 64,000. By reason, childcare decreased by 30,000, marriage by 15,000, pregnancy and childbirth by 8,000, and family care by 6,000. The number citing child education as a reason increased by 10,000.

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