Employment rate for women in their 30s rises as many choose work over marriage

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Employment rate for women in their 30s rises as many choose work over marriage

Published: 27 May. 2025, 13:24

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Job seekers talk to company executives at a job fair in Dong District, Busan, on May 21, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The employment rate for women in their 30s has surged by 10 percentage points over the past three years. While more women choosing work over marriage contributed to this trend, the increase in working mothers and demand for jobs in welfare and service sectors also played key roles in this sharp rise.

The employment rate for women in their 30s rose from 61.3 percent in 2021 to 71.3 percent in 2024, according to Statistics Korea on Monday.

The increase far outpaces the overall employment rate, which went from 60.5 percent to 62.7 percent over the same period. This year alone, the monthly employment rate for this demographic hit record highs: 71.5 percent in January, 72 percent in February, 72.4 percent in March and 73.1 percent in April.

This surge has led to the phrase that women in their 30s are "carrying the job market on their shoulders."

One major factor is the delay or rejection of marriage and childbirth among this demographic, leading to more women entering the workforce.

“The low marriage rate and birthrate had a rebound effect on the increase in employment,” the Korea Employment Information Service noted.

Additionally, more women are returning to work after maternity leave, aided by improving work-life balance systems supported by government and businesses.

A job seeker fills out a resume at a job fair held at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on April 30. [NEWS1]

“Around 76 percent of the rise in employment was due to low birthrates, while 24 percent came from a growing willingness among women to continue working even after having children,” according to the Korea Women’s Development Institute’s report on female workers’ characteristics and policy tasks amid the low birthrate.

The report also indicated that while having children still negatively affects women’s employment, the impact has lessened. The probability of reduced employment among women with preschool-aged children dropped from 24.2 percent in 2016 to 19.4 percent in 2023.

Although the number of married women in their 30s declined from 3 million in 2014 to 1.96 million in 2024, the number of career-interrupted women fell more sharply from 1.12 million to 469,000. The share of career-interrupted women in this group also decreased from 37.3 percent in 2014 to 23.9 percent in 2024.

Experts also noted that women are increasingly entering traditionally male-dominated, high-tech sectors.

Young women walk by a street in Noryangjin, Dongjak District, southern Seoul on Feb. 16. [YONHAP]

Employment in information and communications nearly doubled from 82,959 in 2021 to 162,629 this year, and jobs in professional, scientific and technical services rose from 141,048 to 180,671 in the same period. This is an area that is evaluated as having a well-established welfare system compared to other industries.

"The fact that both men and women in their 30s are increasing in these fields shows that gender-based employment divisions are softening, which is a positive signal for women's employment,” said Jung Sung-mi, a researcher at the Korea Women’s Development Institute.

The surge in welfare and service jobs after the Covid-19 pandemic has also benefited women in their 30s. Employment in public administration and social security rose from 87,477 to 144,166, in health services from 328,008 to 376,212 and in hospitality and food services from 125,307 to 150,066.

“Industries like health care and social welfare that favor female labor saw rapid recovery after the pandemic, which contributed to the employment rate jump after 2021,” said Kim Yoo-bin, a researcher at the Korea Labor Institute.

Previously, women's employment rates showed a distinct M-curve dip in those aged in their 30s, but this trend has reversed. As of April this year, women in their 30s had the highest employment rate among all female age group at 73.1 percent, compared to 47.6 percent for ages 15 to 29, 68.6 percent for 40 to 49, 67.7 percent for 50 to 59 and 39.8 percent for 60 and older.

Job seekers wait for consultations at a job fair held at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul on April 30. [NEWS1]

Experts now emphasize improving job quality rather than focusing solely on quantity. Much of the increase in employment involves lower-quality jobs.

"After 2021, many jobs came in the form of short-term, part-time or temporary roles,” said Shin Ja-eun, a professor of economics at KDI School of Public Policy and Management. “These lower-paying jobs with poorer working conditions tend to attract more women than men, which may explain the employment spike."

"Policy support should target women in businesses with fewer than 30 employees,” Jung said. “For small and medium enterprises that cannot easily adopt flexible work hours like large companies, tailored solutions like staggered start times are needed."

"We must move past the idea that women’s employment and fertility are inversely related,” Prof. Shin added. “Supporting women in returning to quality jobs or retraining after childbirth is essential."

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM YEON-JOO [[email protected]]