The number of high-ranking women in the South Korean Public Service is at record levels, a new report has revealed.
According to the report, 7.9 per cent, or 122, of 1,539 high-ranking Public Servants in the Central Government were female as of the end of last year, up 19.6 per cent from 102 recorded a year ago.
It said both the number of senior female officials and their growth rate were the largest on record.
‘High-ranking officials’ refers to Public Servants ranked third or above in the nation’s nine-grade Public Service.
Despite the record increases, eight Ministries and Government Agencies, including the Ministry of Small Business and Start-ups, the Fair Trade Commission and Statistics Korea, had not a single woman in high-ranking posts.
The report found the proportion of women also surged among the Central Government’s middle-ranking officials.
Out of 1,789 officials in the fourth grade, women accounted for 372, or 20.8 per cent, marking an on-year rise of 19.6 per cent from 311.
The percentage of women among middle-ranking officials in Provincial Governments and public institutions also increased to 17.8 per cent and 21.1 per cent, respectively.
The Ministry of Personnel Management said it would extend further support to help all Government Ministries and Agencies hire more women in their senior posts through an open recruitment system or head-hunting.
Meanwhile, the employment rate for disabled workers stood at 3.56 per cent in the Central Government and 3.99 per cent in Provincial Governments, both higher than the statutory required rate of 3.4 per cent.
Seoul, 22 September 2020
