Episode 47
30s are the new 20s for working women as 'M-shaped curve' flattens
This article is by Kim Kyung-hee and read by an artificial voice. Thirties are the new 20s, at least for working women, with the employment rate for women aged 30 to 34 exceeding that of 25-to-29-year-olds for the first time since 1995 last year, effe...
Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea · KIM KYUNG-HEE
April 2, 20265m 28s
Show Notes
This article is by Kim Kyung-hee and read by an artificial voice.
Thirties are the new 20s, at least for working women, with the employment rate for women aged 30 to 34 exceeding that of 25-to-29-year-olds for the first time since 1995 last year, effectively eliminating the "M-shaped curve" phenomenon, where the employment rate of women in their 30s typically declines due to career interruptions caused by childbirth and child care.
The shift in the trend was found through an analysis of data from the Korean Statistical Information Service (Kosis) by the JoongAng Ilbo on Wednesday.
The employment rate for women aged 30 to 34 reached 75.1 percent last year. This exceeded the employment rate of women aged 25 to 29, which stood at 73.6 percent. Employment rate data has been tracked since 1980.
This was the first reversal since the employment rate for women aged 25 to 34 first exceeded 50 percent in 1997.
In terms of labor force participation — which for this data set includes both the employed and unemployed not actively seeking work — women in their early 30s recorded 77.4 percent, slightly below the 77.8 percent for women in their late 20s.
The gap between the two groups has nearly closed. The previous pattern, in which the employment of women in their 30s dropped due to childbirth and child care to create an "M-curve" trend on a line graph, has essentially flattened, and is even trending toward an inverted "U-curve."
"The flattening of the M-shaped curve is primarily the result of delaying or opting out of marriage and childbirth to avoid career interruption," said Min Se-jin, a professor of economics at Dongguk University. "Women born between 1985 and 1996 — often called the 'M generation' — prioritize careers and tend to push marriage to a later stage."
Lower birthrates and difficulty finding jobs at younger ages are also contributing factors. Women in their 30s — many of whom experienced rising housing prices and slow economic growth after 2015 — are increasingly prioritizing financial stability and delaying or forgoing marriage and childbirth.
Although the total fertility rate has rebounded for two consecutive years, it remained in the 0.8 range as of last year, while the share of unmarried women aged 30 to 34 reached 58 percent.
The average age of childbirth rose from 30.2 in 2005 to 33.8 last year, with women aged 35 and older accounting for 37.3 percent of all births last year.
The labor force participation rate for women born between 1988 and 1992 — who were 30 to 34 in 2022 — stood at 75 percent, up 8.8 percentage points from 66.2 percent for women born between 1983 and 1987, according to the analysis of Kosis data.
The share of women with children, meanwhile, fell from 46.9 percent to 32.3 percent.
Government policies supporting work-life balance, such as expanded paternity leave and child care support, also appear to have had an effect. Men accounted for 36.4 percent of all parental leave users last year, according to employment statistics.
The number of working mothers has also increased. Data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics shows that as of April last year, the employment rate for married women under the age of 54 living with children under 18 reached 64.3 percent.
The share of married women who experienced career interruptions fell to 14.9 percent.
Although the number of births began to rebound in the second half of 2024, experts caution against optimism, noting that the increase is the result of more women entering their early 30s, the prime childbearing age, rather than a structural change.
In fact, the number of women aged 30 to 34 is expected to decline from 1.67 million this year to 1.23 million in a decade, according to population projections from the Data Ministry, and slide by more than 30 percent in 20 years compared to now.
Despite this, the vice chair position of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy has remained vacant for three months since December of last...
Thirties are the new 20s, at least for working women, with the employment rate for women aged 30 to 34 exceeding that of 25-to-29-year-olds for the first time since 1995 last year, effectively eliminating the "M-shaped curve" phenomenon, where the employment rate of women in their 30s typically declines due to career interruptions caused by childbirth and child care.
The shift in the trend was found through an analysis of data from the Korean Statistical Information Service (Kosis) by the JoongAng Ilbo on Wednesday.
The employment rate for women aged 30 to 34 reached 75.1 percent last year. This exceeded the employment rate of women aged 25 to 29, which stood at 73.6 percent. Employment rate data has been tracked since 1980.
This was the first reversal since the employment rate for women aged 25 to 34 first exceeded 50 percent in 1997.
In terms of labor force participation — which for this data set includes both the employed and unemployed not actively seeking work — women in their early 30s recorded 77.4 percent, slightly below the 77.8 percent for women in their late 20s.
The gap between the two groups has nearly closed. The previous pattern, in which the employment of women in their 30s dropped due to childbirth and child care to create an "M-curve" trend on a line graph, has essentially flattened, and is even trending toward an inverted "U-curve."
"The flattening of the M-shaped curve is primarily the result of delaying or opting out of marriage and childbirth to avoid career interruption," said Min Se-jin, a professor of economics at Dongguk University. "Women born between 1985 and 1996 — often called the 'M generation' — prioritize careers and tend to push marriage to a later stage."
Lower birthrates and difficulty finding jobs at younger ages are also contributing factors. Women in their 30s — many of whom experienced rising housing prices and slow economic growth after 2015 — are increasingly prioritizing financial stability and delaying or forgoing marriage and childbirth.
Although the total fertility rate has rebounded for two consecutive years, it remained in the 0.8 range as of last year, while the share of unmarried women aged 30 to 34 reached 58 percent.
The average age of childbirth rose from 30.2 in 2005 to 33.8 last year, with women aged 35 and older accounting for 37.3 percent of all births last year.
The labor force participation rate for women born between 1988 and 1992 — who were 30 to 34 in 2022 — stood at 75 percent, up 8.8 percentage points from 66.2 percent for women born between 1983 and 1987, according to the analysis of Kosis data.
The share of women with children, meanwhile, fell from 46.9 percent to 32.3 percent.
Government policies supporting work-life balance, such as expanded paternity leave and child care support, also appear to have had an effect. Men accounted for 36.4 percent of all parental leave users last year, according to employment statistics.
The number of working mothers has also increased. Data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics shows that as of April last year, the employment rate for married women under the age of 54 living with children under 18 reached 64.3 percent.
The share of married women who experienced career interruptions fell to 14.9 percent.
Although the number of births began to rebound in the second half of 2024, experts caution against optimism, noting that the increase is the result of more women entering their early 30s, the prime childbearing age, rather than a structural change.
In fact, the number of women aged 30 to 34 is expected to decline from 1.67 million this year to 1.23 million in a decade, according to population projections from the Data Ministry, and slide by more than 30 percent in 20 years compared to now.
Despite this, the vice chair position of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy has remained vacant for three months since December of last...