The number of males per 100 females across South Korea has varied over time for each age group. In 2023, for over 65-year olds, this ratio was the lowest at around **** males per 100 females. When looking at the entire population, the gender ratio in South Korea is relatively balanced. Gender re-balancing The gender ratio has not always been as balanced as it is today. Traditional Korean values were responsible for the high sex ratio, as men were seen as more capable to support their families financially and to continue the family lineage. In order to combat this, a law was passed in 1988 preventing doctors from revealing the gender of a fetus to pregnant parents. Combined with progression in many other areas in life for women, including length of education and work opportunities, this led to South Korea becoming the "first Asian country to reverse the trend in rising sex ratios at birth". Equality for all? While the sex ratio in the country is now relatively balanced, many women in South Korea still face discrimination in other areas of life. The labor market is one area which is not equal for men and women. The gender pay gap in South Korea is still prominent, with men earning significantly more than women. As of 2019, many South Koreans believed not enough was being done to achieve gender equality in business , which highlights the population’s willingness to overcome inequality in the country.

In 2023, the number of male births per 100 female births in South Korea was *****. The sex ratio at birth has declined overall in South Korea over the last decades.

Korea Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data was reported at 1.070 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.070 Ratio for 2015. Korea Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data is updated yearly, averaging 1.070 Ratio from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2016, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.140 Ratio in 1992 and a record low of 1.070 Ratio in 2016. Korea Sex Ratio at Birth: Male Births per Female Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births. The data are 5 year averages.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

In 2022, the sex ratio in South Korea was approximately **** men for every 100 women. By 2050, this ratio is projected to fall to **** and then increase to ***** by 2072. Gender equality in South Korea Despite the progress made in educational and economic equality for women over the past few decades, disparities between South Korean men and women continue to exist across all areas of society. In 2023, South Korean men earned over ** percent more than women, making the country’s gender pay gap the highest among OECD member countries. Although a gender quota for proportional representation in parliamentary elections has been implemented, many citizens believe these measures are insufficient for achieving gender equality in politics. As of 2024, women held only ** percent of the seats in the National Assembly. Opinions on gender discrimination According to a survey conducted in 2024, discrimination against women was perceived as more widespread than discrimination against men across various areas, including the workplace, home, and school. Over half of the respondents believed that discrimination against women in the workplace was a serious issue, while only ** percent felt the same way about discrimination against men. Additionally, when it comes to the future of gender equality in South Korean society, about ** percent of respondents expressed a lack of optimism.

Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) in South Korea was reported at 1.058 in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, gender parity index (GPI) in South Korea was reported at 0.98942 GPI in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Gross enrolment ratio, upper secondary, gender parity index - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2024, the female population in Seoul, South Korea's capital, totaled about 4.83 million, surpassing the male population of about 4.51 million. Seoul's population has been steadily declining in recent years, while the share of female residents increased.

School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in South Korea was reported at 0.99642 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary education - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2024, around ** percent of household members who used the available television were female, while the remaining household members were male. There was no significant difference.

Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, gender parity index (GPI) in North Korea was reported at 1.0027 GPI in 2015, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Gross enrolment ratio, primary and lower secondary, gender parity index - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2023, the women-to-men earnings ratio in South Korea was approximately **** percent. While this figure has increased in recent years, the gender pay gap remains significant in South Korean society. South Korea's gender pay gap A growing number of South Korean women have entered the workforce in recent years. However, the female labor force participation rate remains significantly lower than the average of countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). As of 2023, South Korea also had the largest gender pay gap among OECD countries. Challenges of work-life balance The struggle to balance childcare responsibilities with career demands disproportionately affects working women. This is especially true in South Korea, where a survey on women's equality has shown that employers do not provide adequate support for women to achieve a healthy work-life balance. One significant obstacle that makes it difficult for South Korean women to advance in their careers is the challenge of returning to work after an extended career break, such as maternity leave.

School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in North Korea was reported at 0.99923 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Ratio of female to male primary enrollment - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

According to the 2008 and 2014 censuses, it was estimated that there were **** women for every 100 men in North Korea. The female-to-male ratio in North Korea is expected to decrease to about **** by 2070.

Scientific contributions (lectures and posters) to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) annual sessions from 2013 to 2023 were investigated with the aims of analysing the contributions of each country and their efficiency, presentation trends, and gender differences during these years as well as the most frequent topics and their evolution. Official data were requested from and provided by the AAO secretary. The year and type of presentation; the name, country and gender of the first author; and the full title of the presentation were considered. In addition, six national indicators that could determine the quantity and quality of scientific production were obtained from the Our World in Data website with regard to the countries that made the greatest contributions to the AAO annual sessions. The USA featured the largest number of lecturers (69.44%), while the presentations of posters were more balanced among the 4 countries that exhibited the highest levels of production (i.e., Brazil, the USA, Mexico and South Korea). Brazil was the main country to perform above expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant reduction in the number of poster presentations. The male/female ratio was close to 3:1 in terms of lectures and close to 1:1 in terms of posters. In 2023, women presented more posters than did men. The terms clear/aligners and digital were strongly present, and the terms maxillary, adults, and expansion were used increasingly frequently, while the use of the terms brackets or cephalometry decreased. American lecturers included terms that differentiated them from lecturers in other countries. The nationalities of lecturers are not closely related to those of posters, particularly with regard to the USA, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Turkey. Research spending and economic level are the most significant factors with respect to the type and number of a country’s contributions. Concerning gender, a clear imbalance in favour of men persists among lecturers. Increased distance from the USA makes it more difficult for women to serve as lecturers. An emergent paradigm shift in current topics towards a focus on the terms clear/aligners and digital in lectures is evident.

School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in North Korea was reported at 1.0077 % in 2015, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Ratio of girls to boys in primary and secondary education - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

In 2024, the gender gap index score in South Korea stood at 0.7 points, showing that an average gender gap of approximately 30 percent remained in the country. South Korea ranked 94th out of 146 countries surveyed by the gender gap index. Traditional gender roles in South Korea Gender roles in South Korea are vastly different between men and women. Around a third of male and female respondents answered in a survey about perceived traditional male roles that men should not show their weak side and bear the primary responsibility of providing for the family. A survey about traditional female roles showed results of a similar vein. Traditionally male-dominated jobs were considered unsuitable for women. Women were expected not to look strong and focus mainly on childcare, even when working. Such gender roles were reflected in their occupations. According to the 2020 Women in Korea report, a larger percentage of men worked in labor labor-heavy jobs or in top senior management positions such as managers. Whereas In contrast, women tended to work in jobs engaging with customers such as workers in the sales and service sector. Gender gap in the modern workplace   Considering the four key dimensions of the gender gap index, the categories of educational attainment and health and survival achieved the best results, reaching almost full marks with a score of around 0.98 points. In comparison, categories associated with positions of power showed a much larger difference. For example, political empowerment scored about 0.223 points. As of 2018, only 10 percent of respondents saw equal pay as the most important issue facing women in South Korea. Although the majority of women believed that an increase of women in leadership positions would correlate to a better world, only 43 percent of women thought that gender equality would be achieved in their lifetime.

In 2023, there were about **** male and **** female deaths by suicide per 100,000 population in South Korea. The suicide rate for men was more than double the rate for women. South Korea has the highest suicide rate among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In 2024, the employment rates in South Korea were approximately **** percent for men and **** percent for women. While the employment rate for men was significantly higher than that for women, the rate for women has steadily increased over the past decade. Gender equality in South Korea Gender equality is a crucial issue in South Korea. The country has the largest pay gap between men and women among OECD nations. Despite numerous efforts to promote women's rights, the gap remains significant across all areas of society. Although more women are taking on leadership and decision-making roles, a survey indicated that few respondents are optimistic about a near-term improvement in gender inequality. Changing perspectives on career and marriage As more women enter the workforce, fewer South Korean women choose to marry and start families. An increasing number of South Korean women are opting to delay or forgo marriage altogether, reflecting a growing sentiment that marriage is not a necessity for a fulfilling life. This trend is reflected in the country's birth rate, which has fallen to a record low of **** births per woman in 2024, making it the lowest among the OECD nations.

In South Korea, approximately 70.69 percent of the population was between 15 and 64 years old in 2023, while those above the age of 64 made up around 18.34 percent. The youngest generation made up an even smaller percentage than the elderly, but were the only group that did not increase in size over the last decade, partly due to a decrease in births since 2007. Reasons for fewer children While it is not always the case that family sizes shrink when there are less births per woman, the fertility rate in South Korea is undisputably decreasing overall and less children are born. The reasons people cite for having fewer children vary greatly by gender and marital status in South Korea: For example, more married people than singles - and of those more married women than men - say that the difficulty of maintaining a work life balance is the largest concern for them. Meanwhile, men express more economic concerns about child support, and notably more singles nowadays say they feel no need to have children.

In 1900, the fertility rate in the region of present-day South Korea was six children per woman, meaning that the average woman born in South Korea in that year could expect to have six children over the course of their reproductive years. This number began to fluctuate in the 1930s, when the Japanese administration (the Korean peninsula had been annexed by Japan in 1910) promoted fertility as part of the war effort, before fertility dropped below 5.2 births per woman in the aftermath of the war. It then increased above 6.3 in the 1950s due to the devastation and mass-displacement caused by the Korean War. As stability returned to the region, South Korea's fertility rate would fall sharply throughout the remainder of the century, as modernization, urbanization, and the implementation of family planning programs would see fertility fall to just over 1.5 children per woman by 1990.

Sex-selective abortion and gender ratios Abortion was illegal in South Korea between 1953 and 2020, although it was permitted in some cases from 1973 onward. Despite this, these laws were rarely enforced, and sex-selective abortion became widespread following advancements in ultrasound technology. In many Asian societies, it was often preferred to have male children as they were viewed as being better long-term providers for their parents and they would carry on the family name. In South Korea in the early 1990s, the practice of sex-selective abortion became so widespread that the gender ratio at birth was 114 males for every 100 females (reportedly as high as 125 in some cities), compared to the historical and natural average of approximately 105 males per 100 females. The government then prohibited doctors from revealing the gender of unborn babies to the parents in 1987, and introduced more severe penalties in 1994, in an attempt to revert this trend. The gender imbalance then reduced in the following decades, and has been at 106 males per 100 females since the 2010s (roughly the natural average). Abortion rights in South Korea were expanded in 2021.

Lowest in the world? Despite government initiatives aimed at increasing fertility, including financial incentives, South Korea's fertility rate has continued to fall in recent years, and today is at around half of replacement level. In 2020, it is estimated that the average woman born in South Korea will have just over one child over the course of their reproductive years. Some critics cite economic factors, such as high education and housing costs, for the reason that young couples are postponing marriage and having families; today, South Korea has the lowest adolescent fertility rate, and the lowest overall fertility rate in the Asia Pacific region. Due to the current trajectory of South Korea's fertility rate, in January 2021, it was announced that the South Korean population experienced a natural decline for the first time in it's history.