Nearly 20% of women quit jobs after marriage

Nearly two out of five married women in South Korea were forced to stop working due to marriage, having children, child education and other family-related obligations, data showed Tuesday.

According to the data by Statistics Korea, the number of women who gave up their jobs due to marriage and other family-related reasons came to 1.9 million as of June. That made up 19.3 percent of all married women aged 15-54 here. Of them, 47 percent cited marriage as the major reason why they quit their jobs. Baby rearing trailed with 28.7 percent, while childbirth and education came next with 20 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively.

Women in their 30s numbered 1.08 million, making up the largest proportion of the total at 57.1 percent. Those aged 15-29 came next with 12.6 percent, followed by females aged 50-54 with 6.6 percent, the data showed.

The data came as demand is growing for the government to increase workplace support for married women to better utilize the female workforce, many of whom are forced to leave jobs after getting married due to heavy family-related obligations.

Meanwhile, the number of households with both spouses present came to 11.62 million as of June. Of them, 5.07 million or 43.6 percent are dual-income families, the data showed.

Of households whose breadwinners are in their 40s and 50s, dual-income families made up 52.1 percent and 49.7 percent, respectively. The ratios were the highest among all surveyed age groups, according to the data. (Yonhap News)