20250307 Jung Chung Hong yeon Shin Gyeongja and Yang Eun-young

Many women in South Korea only enter the workforce after raising children, often limiting them to low-paid jobs with minimal benefits in industries like retail. From left: Jung Hong-young, Shin Gyeong-ja and Yang Eun-young pose in front of the stores where they work in Daegu, South Korea, on March 7. (Source photos by Jean Chung)

South Korea's gender chasm: Women still consigned to dim job and life prospects

Old-school views keep doors closed as world marks International Women's Day

STEVEN BOROWIEC

March 8, 2025 06:00 JST

DAEGU, South Korea -- As campaigners around the world mark International Women's Day on Saturday with marches and celebrations, Shin Gyeong-ja will be doing what she does nearly every weekend -- clocking in for another long shift in the produce section of a big-box retailer.

Shin lives and works in Daegu, a city about two hours by train southeast of Seoul that is a stronghold for embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol. While shelving onions and apples for the Homeplus store chain, known as a "mart" in South Korea, the 58-year-old hopes to avoid being harassed and abused by far-right activists angry at women workers like her who are union members and wear buttons supporting the impeachment of Yoon over his attempt to impose martial law last December.