"The Glass Ceiling of South Korea: Can Women Stay in the Workforce?" by Jaesun Lee

The interviewer peers at the woman seated across from him and asks, “You’re a woman. Do you want this job? Don’t you want kids later on in life?”

The young interviewee nervously replies, “I do want this job, but I’m also planning on getting married and raising a family.” The interviewer looks unimpressed as he scrutinizes the resume in front of him. This is the same look this young woman received at the last interview where she was rejected.

"Sorry, you aren’t the candidate we’re looking for. We’re seeking someone with more commitment and dedication," the interviewer finally tells the young woman. This rejection comes with no surprise.

Now, it isn’t about all about marriage and kids. It’s also about looks.

The retail store manager looks demeaningly at the sales clerk and says, “Have some professionalism and wear makeup. You’re working in the service industry. Putting forth the proper appearance is part of the etiquette of a service job.”

Since when has job etiquette been defined by appearance?

Women quite frequently encounter situations like these in South Korea, and the suffocating nature of these traditional, conservative values often prevents them from being able to speak up. When they do muster the courage to voice their opinions, more often than not, they are scolded for their boldness and lectured about cultural submissiveness. Women often find themselves humiliated, their self-esteem shattered, and the reality of their inability to break through the ever-present glass ceiling becomes obvious. This is evident in the extremely low employment rate for South Korean women despite their high education levels. Considering this, it is clear that gender discrimination in South Korea is still rampant.

The source of this problem seems to be the patriarchal culture of the nation. Men are still considered the breadwinners in South Korea while women are expected to take on the role of the housekeeper and child-rearer. This expectation is evident in the way women are rejected from job opportunities because employers assume the women applying for these positions will ultimately leave the company to raise a family.

The government has attempted to address these issues. President Moon Jae-in has even been quoted as describing the gender gap as a "shameful reality" and pledging to address this issue. Legislation has also been passed to address gender discrimination cases in the workplace. Under Korean law, if a female employee is dismissed for getting married, becoming pregnant or having a child, the employers responsible for the dismissal can face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $26,500. Yet, in reality, these practices continue and even those who are found guilty of discriminating against women face punishments that merely amount to a slap on the wrist.

Consequently, women have found it difficult to speak out against these injustices. In the past, women who speak out have been demoted or assigned to unfavorable positions within a company. In some cases, women have been branded problematic employees, excluded from important duties, or bullied inside the company. In other cases, women who speak out are stigmatized, making it difficult for them to find jobs. These repercussions have prevented many women from voicing their opinions.

Yet, despite these hurdles, more and more women are starting to speak out, taking to the streets in protest or online through social media campaigns to demand change. Many women are coming forward with their stories of discrimination and bringing much needed attention to this troubling issue. This recent reckoning with South Korea's patriarchal society has seen a number of prominent #MeToo cases becoming publicized and women organizing to fight against illegal spycam photography and male-defined beauty standards. As a result, the government is being forced to take more drastic measures to deal with this issue. Since last summer, state-run enterprises have been forced to record the gender ratio of job applicants, while banks must now publicly disclose hiring figures to ensure they are not discriminatory.

While these measures are a move in the right direction, I think that, as a society, Korea must do more. It is imperative for all members of society to form a consensus and change the perception towards traditional gender roles. Korea has notoriously been a nation that stubbornly refuses change, but if Korea plans on being a leading economy in the 21st century, it must start to realize that more gender parity is needed.