my timesThe Korea Times

Women paid 60 percent of men's salary

Listen

/ Korea Times file

By Kim Bo-eun

Female employees are, on average, paid less than 60 percent of male workers’ salary, according to recent data.

The findings were based on the National Tax Service’s data on women's economic activity for 2013.

The average annual salary of women amounted to 21 million won, 57.5 percent of the 37 million won, earned by men.

This figure is a 21.4 percent rise from 17 million won in 2009.

According to business sectors, finance and insurance firms paid the highest at 42 million won, followed by electricity, gas and water supply at 38 million won and real estate, 31 million won.

Retailing (16 million won) and food and accommodation (11 million won) were the lowest-paying sectors.

According to age groups, those in their 30s and 40s were paid relatively more than workers in other age groups, with average annual earnings of 25 million won and 24 million won, respectively.

Those in their teens earned 17 million won while women in their 60s made 11 million won.

Only 0.6 percent of the total number of female employees earned more than 100 million won.