This study explores the reasons for the gender gaps in the South Korean labor market during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that 5.5 percent of women are on leave of absence, more than double the percentage of men (2.5 percent). Women have also experienced more unemployment than men. Using a decomposition method, this study finds that one-fifth of the gender difference in leaves of absence is explained by women’s concentration in the care and hospitality industries, which have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic. Moreover, women’s uneven distribution in part-time jobs also contributes to explaining 16.8 percent of the total gender gap. However, 60.8 percent of gender differences in leaves of absence were unexplained by existing arguments, such as occupational or industrial gender segregation and women’s precarious job status. This study shows that this unexplained difference could be caused by the gendered caring role imposed on women.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The COVID-19 pandemic reproduced existing gender inequalities in the labor market in South Korea.

• Women workers experienced more unemployment and leaves of absence than men workers.

• Married women workers experienced more adverse outcomes than unmarried women workers.

• However, married men workers experienced fewer of these outcomes than unmarried men workers.

• Women’s concentration in paid and unpaid care duties were the major explanation for gender gaps.

这项研究探讨了在COVID-19大流行期间韩国劳动力市场中性别差距的原因。结果表明，有5.5％的女性请假，是男性比例（2.5％）的两倍多。妇女的失业率也比男子高。使用分解方法，该研究发现缺席原因中性别差异的五分之一是由妇女在护理和接待行业中的集中度所解释的，而这种集中度受到大流行的影响很大。此外，妇女在非全日制工作中的分配不均也造成了总性别差距的16.8％。然而，请假原因无法解释目前缺勤中60.8％的性别差异，例如职业或行业中的性别隔离和妇女不稳定的工作状况。

强调

• COVID-19大流行再现了韩国劳动力市场上现有的性别不平等现象。

• 女职工比男职工遭受更多的失业和休假。

• 已婚女工比未婚女工遭受的不利后果更多。

• 但是，已婚男工人要比未婚男工人经历的结果要少。

• 妇女集中在有偿和无偿照料职责上是造成性别差距的主要原因。