More South Korean men than ever are full-time homemakers

SEOUL – More than a quarter of a million men in South Korea have taken themselves out of the labour force to care for children or do housework, government data showed on June 29, in a possible sign that traditional gender roles in the country are changing.

Around 274,000 men were categorised in the first quarter as economically inactive – neither working nor looking for a job – due to childcare or housework, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

The figure marked a 16.6 per cent increase from a year earlier and was the highest first-quarter tally since the government began compiling related data in 2004.

The category includes not only those caring for their own children, but also those looking after grandchildren.

Separate data released by the ministry last week showed that South Koreans aged 65 or older provided about 5.36 trillion won (S$4.5 billion) worth of unpaid childcare in 2024, which officials said largely reflected grandparents caring for their grandchildren.

The data on June 29 showed that 261,000 of the men were primarily engaged in housework, while 13,000 were primarily devoted to childcare.

The number of female full-time homemakers still dwarfs that of their male counterparts, though the gap has narrowed substantially.

Some 6.5 million women were economically inactive because of housework or childcare, the lowest first-quarter figure on record and down from 7.68 million in 2013.

Men step further into homemaking roles

Many older South Koreans have held rigid views about the different roles of men and women, as reflected in the significant gender gap in employment. In 2000, the employment rates for men and women stood at 73.2 per cent and 50.1 per cent, respectively.

The gap has steadily narrowed, with the figures reaching 76.5 per cent for men and 63 per cent for women in 2025.

While South Korea’s female employment rate remains among the lowest in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the data indicates that traditional gender roles may be shifting.

South Korea has historically held negative views towards men doing housework, reflected in sayings such as “men should not set foot in the kitchen”.

Traditional South Korean homes until the early 20th century also commonly had separate spaces based on gender roles, with men welcoming guests and preparing for work in the “sarangbang” or guest room, while women took care of housework in the “anbang” or inner room.

Officials at the Ministry of Data and Statistics said the latest findings reflect a recent trend of more men taking on homemaking roles.

Separate data from the Ministry of Personnel Management showed that more male government workers took parental leave in 2025 than female civil servants, the first time that has happened.

While men account for just 36.5 per cent of those taking parental leave nationwide, the figures suggest that more men are participating in childcare and household duties. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK