[2025 Gender Equality Index] "The Best Welfare Is a Job"... One in Five Regular Employees at Top 100 Companies Are Women

Women's Representation in Major Corporations and Financial Institutions
Food, IT, Retail, and Service Industries Lead
Heavy Industry, Construction, and Defense Remain Male-Dominated
Financial Sector Nears 49% Female Employees

"Even if you have to work as a servant, do it in a nobleman's house."

This self-deprecating proverb is often quoted among young people preparing for employment in the face of a shrinking job market. It means that if you have to work anyway, it is better to do so at a company with good welfare and pay.

"The best welfare is a job."

This phrase was spoken by former President Lee Myung-bak in 2009, shortly after the global financial crisis, during a visit to the Gwanak Comprehensive Employment Support Center in Seoul. Regardless of the success or failure of Lee Myung-bak's administration's policies, this phrase continues to be widely used in political and business circles 16 years later.

These two sayings evoke the status of large corporations and financial institutions, which today symbolize high-quality jobs. In fact, the 100 largest companies and 37 financial firms subject to the Gender Equality Index survey meet the conditions to be called "nobleman's houses." As of the end of last year, these companies alone employed 860,000 people. However, structural imbalances, such as the proportion of women, remain clear. There is still a long way to go before "employment becomes the best welfare."

One in Five Regular Employees at Top 100 Companies Are Women... Marked Industry Gaps

As of the end of last year, the average proportion of regular female employees at the top 100 companies was 20.5%. This figure represents an increase of about 1.1 percentage points compared to 2020, but it still amounts to only one in five employees. There were also significant differences by industry. The lowest was KG Mobility at 2.26%, reflecting the characteristics of the automobile manufacturing sector. There were also 36 companies where the proportion of women was less than 10%. Most of these were in heavy industry, construction, or defense, with the exception of S-1, a security and guard company.

On the other hand, industries such as food, IT, retail, and services showed higher proportions of women. CJ Freshway was the only company to exceed 70%. Lotte Shopping, Ottogi, and CJ ENM were in the 60% range, while Emart, Nongshim, and LG Household & Health Care were in the 50% range. Eight companies, including Hotel Shilla, Daesang, Korean Air, Samsung Biologics, Coway, Kakao, Naver, and Celltrion, recorded proportions above 40%.

However, when looking at the rate of change over the past five years, the boundaries between industries became less clear. Three companies?CJ ENM, Hyundai AutoEver, and GS Global?saw increases of more than 6 percentage points over five years. CJ ENM increased female employees in its music and commerce divisions, while Hyundai AutoEver saw a rise in the proportion of women due to aggressive hiring in IT and automotive software. At GS Global, the number of employees increased slightly, but the number of women grew more than men.

Naver, BGF Retail, and KT also saw their proportions increase by more than 5 percentage points. Naver added about 500 employees during this period, with around 400 of them being women. BGF Retail similarly increased its total number of regular employees by more than 400 during the same period. As a result of business expansion and job creation driven by improved performance, the proportion of regular female employees naturally increased.

Twenty-one companies saw the proportion of women decrease during the same period. GS Retail dropped by 9.16 percentage points. This appears to be due to workforce reductions in the supermarket division, an increase in temporary workers, and a decrease in female employees in shared and other divisions. Coway fell by 5.33 percentage points. The total number of regular employees decreased by about 300, with the number of women declining and the number of men increasing.

Proportion of Women in the Financial Sector Nears Half

Last year, the average proportion of regular female employees at 37 financial companies was 48.65%, more than twice as high as at the top 100 companies. With a few exceptions, most companies had a female proportion above 40%. Hana Bank had the highest proportion of regular female employees at 63.4%, while BC Card had the lowest at 29.5%.

In terms of rate of change, many financial companies also saw an increase in the proportion of women compared to 2020. Meritz Securities was the only company to see an increase of more than 6 percentage points, thanks to a rise in female employees in its headquarters management division. KB Kookmin Bank and K Bank also saw increases of more than 5 percentage points.

Five companies?Woori Card, Kiwoom Securities, Lotte Card, Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance, and Woori Bank?saw decreases in the proportion of women during the same period. Woori Card saw a decrease of 9.2 percentage points, but the number of regular female employees actually increased by 30, while the number of male employees rose by 197 over the same period, resulting in a lower proportion. The remaining four companies saw smaller decreases, ranging from 0 to 2 percentage points.

Active Female Recruitment Viewed Positively

In the process of surveying the Gender Equality Index, it was found that about 25% of new hires at the top 100 companies were women. This is higher than the overall proportion of women (20.5%), indicating potential for further increases in the future.

However, there were differences between industries. In retail companies sensitive to trends, women accounted for 60-70% of new hires. IT and telecommunications companies also generally showed high proportions of over 30%. In contrast, construction and heavy industry still had single-digit proportions of female new hires. This is attributed to the job characteristics and trends in major selection in those industries.

Financial companies have achieved relatively balanced recruitment. The average proportion of female hires at 37 financial companies was about 40%, with little variation. In some cases, the proportion was in the 60% range, and even the lowest was over 20%. This suggests that companies have achieved balance by conducting merit-based, non-discriminatory hiring processes rather than giving special preference to women. An official at a financial company said, "We do not have any special system that favors women in HR, but we apply HR policies fairly based on ability, and as a result, the proportion of female employees is relatively high."

Female employment is not just about meeting quotas, but has become a strategic factor that determines organizational sustainability and performance capacity. The challenge going forward is to go beyond employment numbers and establish structures that provide equal opportunities for promotion, job assignments, and uninterrupted career growth. Recognizing female talent as a core asset and creating an environment that enables them to maximize their abilities is the path to corporate sustainability and will be the "best welfare" companies can offer their employees.

Editor's NoteThe "Asia Economy Gender Equality Index," launched with the goal of assessing the status of female workforce utilization and gender equality efforts at major domestic companies and promoting work-life balance, marks its 10th anniversary this year. The Gender Equality Index has served as a catalyst for spreading a culture of inclusion and coexistence within companies. On the occasion of its 10th year, Asia Economy has adjusted the evaluation items and methods and enhanced its analytical framework to increase the objectivity and reliability of the index. As the value of sustainability and diversity grows, we hope the Gender Equality Index will serve as a compass for companies.