Seoul, South Korea – A recent study by the Leaders Index has revealed a concerning decline in the number of female executives in South Korean public institutions under the current administration. The research, based on data from the ALIO (Public Institution Management Information Disclosure System), found that the number of female executives in 327 public institutions decreased by 10.7% from 830 to 741 between 2022 and 2024.

The study also showed a decline in the overall proportion of female executives, from 22.9% to 20.6% during the same period. This trend contrasts sharply with the previous three years (2019-2021), when the number of female executives increased by 9.2%, from 759 to 829.

The decrease in female executives is particularly evident at the highest levels of leadership. The number of female CEOs in public institutions dropped from 30 to 22, a decrease of 8%. Moreover, 20 out of the 22 female CEOs were from smaller, non-core public institutions. Only two women held CEO positions in larger public institutions: Choi Yeon-hye at Korea Gas Corporation and Min Byung-ju at the Korea Institute for Industrial Technology Promotion.

The representation of women on boards of directors also remained low. Only 5.4% of the 74 standing auditors in public institutions were women.

Furthermore, the study found a slowdown in the growth rate of female employees in public institutions. While the number of female employees increased by 11.1% from 137,114 to 145,239 between 2019 and 2021, it only grew by 1.3% from 150,432 to 152,362 between 2022 and 2024.

These findings suggest a setback in efforts to promote gender equality in South Korean public institutions. Experts attribute this decline to various factors, including changes in government policies and a potential shift in priorities.