NZ official blasts Korean workplace gender gap

By Ko Dong-hwan

Patti O’Neil

A New Zealand equality expert has slammed Korea’s work culture for preventing women from advancing.

“Koreans work too late and drink too much. It’s definitely disadvantageous for working women with families,” Patti O’Neil told a forum at Jeju Island on Tuesday.

O’Neil is coordinator of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Network on Gender Equality under the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

“Many countries point this out as the reason Korea is still noted for a high rate of gender inequality,’’ she told the 2014 Business and Professional Women (BPW) International Congress.

She said it was critical for Korean companies to reduce after-hour works and dinner meetings and create a better environment for young women and working mothers.

About 800 female leaders from 50 countries attended the forum.