Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
4 of 10 Korean athletes end up jobless after retiring in their 20s
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By Lee Hae-rin
Nearly four in 10 athletes in Korea find themselves jobless after retiring, with most ending their sports careers in their early 20s, recent government data revealed, underscoring the persistent challenges former athletes face in transitioning to new professions and the lack of adequate institutional support.
According to Korean Sport & Olympic Committee data submitted to Rep. Cho Gye-won of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the average retirement age for Korean athletes is 23.6. As of last year, 7,521 registered as former athletes after retirement. Only 38.4 percent of them moved into jobs related to sports, while some 38.19 percent remain unemployed.
Although the committee operates a career support center for retired athletes, uptake remains low, as survey data showed only 25.2 percent of retired athletes actually used the center. The most common reason cited for not using its services was simply not knowing how to access them, accounting for 64.4 percent of responses.
“The reality that four out of 10 athletes who retire around the age of 23 remain unemployed is not just an individual problem but a structural failing of society,” Rep. Cho said, emphasizing the need for more accessible and tailored education and employment programs for retired athletes.
The situation is even more challenging for female athletes, who face additional discrimination due to career interruptions caused by childbirth or raising children and the lingering gender bias within the sports community.
Only 15 percent of retired female athletes earn more than 3 million won ($2,200) a month, compared to 26 percent of men. Women are also more likely to remain unemployed long-term.
Cho pointed out that gender barriers persist, even though the 2024 Paris Olympics featured an even male-female athlete ratio for the first time in history. The proportion of women in leadership roles at the sports committee has remained below 30 percent for five consecutive years — evidence of a glass ceiling limiting the advancement of female talent.
He stressed the importance of strengthening job training and reemployment programs for all retired athletes, with specific provisions for women, to help address inequality and insure stable futures for Korea’s young sports retirees.