6% of executives in Korea's top 100 firms women: data

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The proportion of females in executive positions at the top 100 companies in Korea reached the 6 percent mark for the first time ever this year, data showed Thursday.

According to data of top 100 companies in terms of sales compiled by global headhunter UnicoSearch, 439, or 6 percent, of the total of 7,345 executives were females as of the first half of this year.

The executives included executive directors, members of the owner families and unregistered directors, but not outside directors.

The tally has continued to increase for five consecutive years, starting from 3.5 percent in 2019 to 4.1 percent in 2020, 4.8 percent in 2021 and 5.6 percent in 2022.

UnicoSearch said the total number of female executives at the 100 largest companies is expected to surpass the 500 mark around 2025, noting the number had stood at only 13 back in 2004.

This year, 72 out of the 100 companies had a woman in an executive position, with IT companies showing the highest rate of female executives at 39.2 percent.

But companies in the shipbuilding, shipping, steel, energy and mechanics industries rarely had a female in a leadership position.

By companies, Samsung Electronics had the biggest number of female executives at 72, followed by CJ Cheiljedang with 30, Naver 26 and Hyundai Motor 21.

Lotte Shopping, Amorepacific, LG Electronics, LG Uplus, Mirae Asset Securities, KT, SK Telecom and SK Holdings also had 10 or more women in executive positions.

Of the total female executives, eight were on the board of directors, including four CEOs, each at Korea Gas Corp., LG H&H, Hotel Shilla, and Naver. (Yonhap)