South Korean women face widening pay gap and pension losses as they age

A Human Rights Watch report titled “Too Old and a Woman” documents South Korea’s persistent gender pay gap, the widest among OECD nations since records began in 1992. Women earn about 8% less than men at 27, and the difference expands to roughly 50% by their late 50s, according to government wage data. Interviews with 41 women aged 28 to 87 highlight how caregiving responsibilities, career interruptions, and limited re-entry options confine many to low-paid jobs.

Wage peaks occur in the late 30s, after which salaries fall, compounded by mandatory retirement at 60 and a “peak wage” system that cuts pay before retirement. As a result, women receive only about 53% of men’s National Old Age Pension. Activist Min Hee Kim urges comprehensive reforms, including genuine equal-pay enforcement, transparent wage structures, and public funding for care, while noting that the study’s sample is Seoul-centric and may miss the experiences of disabled or migrant women.