Country Report and Technical Report
Region: South Korea (East Asia)
Report summary: Where South Korea’s recent social welfare reforms providing comprehensive pregnancy and maternity leave protections, dependent care leave, and flexible work arrangement provisions contributed to a high Sub-Index A score, its inadequate and underdeveloped employment protections for domestic workers, particularly migrant domestic workers, reflects in a poorer performance in Sub-Index B. South Korea is rated as “Maturing”, with a total score of 6.92.
Acknowledgements: The advice and translation assistance provided by Suyeon Lee for this report is greatly appreciated.
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Open in new tab Overall GCPI Score
6.92/10
| Population (million) | 51.78 |
| GDP (USD, billion) | 1,631 |
| Human Development Index | 0.916 |
| Women’s Labor Force Participation Rate | 53% |
| Percentage of the Informal Economy | NA |
| Old-age Dependency Ratio | 39.5% |
| Access to Basic Drinking Water* | 100% |
| Access to Electricity* | 100% |
| Access to Sanitation Services* | 100% |
| Access to Essential Health Services*† | 86% |
Source: World Bank Open Data, Human Development Index, International Labour Organization 2019, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
* Household access
†The WHO defines essential health services as “the average [household] coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health; infectious diseases; noncommunicable diseases; and service capacity and access; among the general and the most disadvantaged population”
Data correct as of 2020.
The recommended citation for this report is as follows:
Jiang Haolie and Anju M. Paul. 2021. Global Care Policy Index 2021 Country Report: South Korea. Singapore: Global Care Policy Index. https://globalcarepolicy.commons.yale-nus.edu.sg/country_profile/southkorea.
10 College Ave West #01-101 Singapore 138609
© 2020 Global Care Policy Index. All Rights Reserved.