In 2022, the sex ratio in South Korea was approximately 99.9 men to 100 women. By 2050, it is projected to fall to 99.1 and then increase to 101.1 by 2072. Regarding gender equality, South Korea has struggled to achieve economic and political equality. Fortunately, parity in the country's education and healthcare systems has improved over the years.Economic and political disparity While employment opportunities for women in South Korea have improved, they still tend to occupy low-paying jobs and are less likely to advance to higher management roles than men. Women still earn significantly less than men, making the country’s gender pay gap the highest in the OECD. The average monthly salary of South Korean men was over 35 percent higher than women in 2022. Despite adopting a gender quota for proportional representation in the National Assembly election, many South Koreans believe not enough has been done to achieve gender equality in government and politics. Currently, only 19 percent of the National Assembly are women.Future outlook In a survey among South Koreans, it was found that approximately 70 percent of women expressed their strong belief in the importance of achieving gender equality. However, the results showed that just over half of the men held a similar viewpoint. This discrepancy suggests that there is an apparent disparity in the perspectives on gender equality between the genders in South Korea.

In 2024, the employment rates in South Korea were approximately 70.9 percent for men and 54.7 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 are choosing 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. According to a survey, one of the primary reasons South Korean women are avoiding marriage is simply that they do not feel the need to get married. This trend is reflected in the country's birth rate, which has fallen to a record low of 0.78 births per woman in 2023, making it the lowest among the OECD nations.

In 2022, the average height of South Korean men in their thirties lay at 174.71 centimeters. Men in older age groups tended to be shorter. On average, South Korean men were 171.49 centimeters tall that year.

 Diet and healthcare in South Korea

It has been observed that improvements in nutrition and healthcare lead to increased average height over time. With the rapid industrialization in South Korea came improvements in healthcare and nutritional intake. South Korea ranks among the leading countries in the health index, which measures a population’s health and a country’s healthcare system. Even with an excellent healthcare system, South Koreans have increasingly been concerned about their diet and nutrition, exemplified by the share of people trying to consume certain nutrients every day.

 Height preferences in South Korea 

According to a 2019 survey, for most respondents the preferred height for South Korean men was higher than the current average. This discrepancy was similar for the preferred height for women, showing how preferences for taller people stretched across genders. Not only are South Koreans preferring taller partners, but they are also getting taller over time. Another survey found that the ideal height for a spouse in the country came closer to the average height of younger generations.

This statistic shows the average body fat ratio of male adults between the age of 19 and 29 in South Korea from 1992 to 2017. In 2017, South Korean men aged 25 to 29 had a body fat percentage of 20.1 percent on average.

This statistic shows the average body fat percentage of male adults in South Korea in 2017, by age group. In 2017, South Korean men aged 55 to 59 had a body fat percentage of 23.1 percent on average.

In 2024, the employment rate of men in their forties in South Korea was the highest among all age groups, reaching over 90 percent. The average employment rate for men stood at 70.9 percent.

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 78.7 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.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2020, about 74.6 percent of female respondents felt that South Korean society was unfair to women, while only 18.6 percent of male respondents felt the same. On the contrary, about 51.7 percent of men thought they were treated unfairly.

This statistic shows the average body fat ratio of male adults between the age of 30 and 39 in South Korea from 1992 to 2017. In 2017, South Korean men aged 35 to 39 had a body fat percentage of 22.5 percent on average.

According to a survey on gender equality in South Korea in 2021, about 47.5 percent of male respondents aged 60 years and older answered that men should have the primary responsibility of providing for the family. It was a higher response rate than any other age or gender groups. On the opposite, only 9.6 percent of female respondents in the youngest age group agreed with it.

According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, over 70 percent of South Korean respondents stated that they preferred men to be between 5 feet 10 inches (around 178cm) to 6 feet 1 inch (around 185cm) tall.

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.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2022, about 47.6 percent of women and 42.3 percent of men in South Korea reported feeling stressed within the last two weeks. While the stress level among South Koreans increased between 2008 and 2010, it has steadily decreased since then. Women have felt more stressed than men in recent years.

As of January 2025, 61 out of 300 seats in South Korea's National Assembly were held by women, while men held 239 seats. Women only made up 20 percent of all parliamentarians. While there has been some improvement in female representation over the past decade, the percentage of women in parliament still lags behind that of many other countries.

In 2023, around 45.6 percent of Korean men and 27.8 percent of women were considered obese. Obesity was classified as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over. While the obesity rate for men has been steadily increasing, there was a large jump from 41.8 to 48 percent between 2019 and 2020. The obesity rate for women has fluctuated, but generally stays at around a quarter of Korean women.

According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Ipsos on global attitudes toward beauty, South Korean men and women had similar opinions about which attributes were the most important in making a man beautiful. Around 76 percent of female respondents stated that strength was a very important attribute in making a man beautiful, while confidence was more highly valued among male respondents.

According to a survey on South Korean beauty trends among men, around 4.4 percent of respondents in their forties stated that they were using make-up regularly in 2021. That year, men in South Korea were using an average of 7 cosmetic products.

In 2023, the average monthly earnings for male managers in South Korea were approximately 10.6 million South Korean won, while female managers earned around 8.8 million won. Overall, there was a pronounced gender gap in monthly salaries for South Korean employees across all occupation types. The gender pay gap in South Korea Despite a notable increase in women's participation in the labor market, progress in narrowing the gender pay gap has been slow. In 2022, South Korea had the widest gender pay gap among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with women earning only about 69 percent of men's wages. This pay gap impacts women across various employment types and all age groups, with those in their 50s being the most affected. Gender inequality and public perception Gender inequality has remained a persistent issue in South Korean society, despite governmental efforts to tackle it. A recent survey revealed that discrimination against women is most widely perceived in the workplace. Interestingly, there were significant differences in how men and women viewed gender inequality in South Korea. Nearly 75 percent of women believed that South Korean society treats women unfairly, while less than 20 percent of men shared this perspective. Conversely, approximately 52 percent of men felt that men were treated unfairly.

In 2023, the women-to-men earnings ratio in South Korea was approximately 65.3 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 An increasing number of South Korean women have joined 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 2022, 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.

In 2023, only 7.4 percent of men took parental leave, compared to about 73.2 percent of women in South Korea. Although the rate of men taking paternity leave has steadily increased over the past few years, women still utilize it ten times more than men.