rooted notion of gender roles in the society. Even when fundamentally women are
economically active there are gender-role stereotypes that it is the woman’s duty to rear
child, maintain housework, and take care of the sick and elders. The Government should
also abruptly increase public child caring centres, which cover less than 10% of all
centres. It is necessary that the Government places effort in implementing policy that
will change the deeply rooted notion of gender roles. Along with this, it is necessary to
promote awareness with public service announcements, education through media, and
awareness education to the nation. The current administration is presently providing
women employment training, in this training only low end jobs are being offered. This
only instigates that the role of women is child rearing and housework. It is necessary to
re-evaluate the basics of women employment policy.
2.
Gender-based Wage Inequality (131-137)
51. The 2007 Basic Survey on Wage Structure released by the Ministry of Labor in
March 2008 reveals that women's monthly pay averages 1.58 million KRW, which is
merely 66.4% of men's monthly pay (2.38 million KRW), indicating a broad genderbased wage gap. Still, very few women workers file a complaint or lawsuit on genderbased wage discrimination to the competent authorities, including the Ministry of Labor,
NHRCK and Courts, to seek remedies.
52. Until end-August of 2009, only 15 complaints were brought to the NHRCK in
relation to gender-based wage discrimination. Similarly, there were only 54 complaints
brought before the Ministry of Labor to claim the breach of the Equal Employment Act,
which is a mere 4.8% of the entire complaints brought to the Ministry (1,149 cases).
53. The possible reason why only a few complaints have been filed to the competent
authorities of discrimination remedies is that the affected workers are afraid that they
might be victimized at work for having made such complaint and they are not confident
that filing a complaint would resolve the wage discrimination.
3.
Sexual Harassment at Work (138-153)
54. An analysis of the cases of sexual harassment at work that were brought to NHRCK
for remedies shows that sexual harassment at work is more frequent in smaller
workplaces; many cases involve physical or verbal harassment by middle managers and
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