South Korea's female researchers now make up nearly a third of new hires

South Korea has seen a steady rise in the number of women entering research roles. In 2024, nearly a third of new hires at scientific institutions were female. The government views this trend as vital for sustaining innovation amid a shrinking population.

Last year, women filled 6,616 of 20,739 new positions across 5,138 Korean research institutes. This figure represents almost 32 percent of all new hires, marking a clear upward trend over the past decade.

Beyond research, female representation in leadership roles across science and technology sectors has also grown. In 2015, women held roughly 10 to 12 percent of such positions. By 2025, that share had climbed to between 15 and 18 percent. Government diversity programmes and corporate policy shifts have driven this progress, though it remains slower than in many other OECD countries.

Within research itself, the share of women leading projects has nearly doubled. In 2015, female scientists headed just 7.8 percent of research initiatives. By 2024, that proportion had risen to 13.3 percent.

The increase in female researchers reflects broader efforts to boost diversity in South Korea's scientific workforce. With women now making up nearly a third of new hires, institutions continue to push for greater representation in leadership. The government's focus on this issue aims to secure the country's long-term capacity for innovation.