[News Briefing] Employment rate for women in their 50s at highest in decades

Posted on : 2011-07-20 14:19 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST

The employment rate among South Korean women in their 50s hit the highest level in decades in the second quarter, as many females joined the workforce to meet growing education and living costs, data showed Tuesday.
According to the data by Statistics Korea, the employment rate among the cited age group stood at 59.3 percent in the April-June period, the highest level since the third quarter of 1992, when the rate peaked at 60.1 percent.
The employment rate exceeded the corresponding figure for those in their 20s, which stayed at 58.9 percent in the second quarter, the data showed.
The hike is attributed to growing demand among housewives for jobs to meet the rising expense of educating their children. Many also appeared to seek employment to prepare for their husbands’ retirement, experts said.
The data showed that female workers in their 50s totaled 2.09 million in the second quarter, up 72 percent from the same period a decade ago when it stood at 1.21 million.
Meanwhile, the employment rate for females in their 40s also hit the highest level in about three decades, indicating that a growing number of women have joined the workforce after getting married and having babies.
(Yonhap News)
 
Govt.’s divided stance on countering Japan’s false claims 
Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik has expressed deep regret over Japan’s recent provocations concerning Korea’s easternmost Dokdo islets.
At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister said the Korean public is concerned over the Japanese foreign ministry’s month-long ban on its diplomats from traveling on Korean Air, as well as opposition LDP lawmakers’ planned visit to Korea‘s Ulleung Island.
Kim argued that Tokyo’s imposed measure on a private entity like Korean Air, not only goes against international diplomacy, but also World Trade Organization agreements, then called for a prompt retraction.
The travel ban comes in response to Korean Air’s test-flight last month over the Korea-controlled islets, which Japan falsely claims.
The foreign ministry, meanwhile, seemed more cautious to respond, mindful of an unnecessary diplomatic conflict with Tokyo over its recent controversial moves.
(Arirang News) 

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