Ahead of International Women’s Day, various women's and labor organizations are planning a strike to demand gender equality in wages and address issues such as gender-based violence.
With International Women’s Day approaching on March 8, multiple women’s and labor organizations have announced a planned strike, articulating demands for substantial gender equality in the workforce, particularly highlighting the persistent gender pay gap and the troubling issues of female irregular employment and gender-based violence. As per statements from the organizations, a total of 22 groups including the National Democratic Trade Union's Toll Gate Branch and the Feminist Designer Social Club are assembling the 2026 March 8 Women's Strike Organizing Committee in preparation for this significant event, which will take place on March 6 in front of Seoul Station.
The participating organizations have asserted that inequalities within the labor market remain daunting, exemplified by the significant gender pay gap in South Korea, reported at 29% as of 2024. This illustrates that women earn approximately 29% less than their male counterparts on a monthly basis, making South Korea the OECD leader in this distressing statistic for 29 consecutive years. Furthermore, the share of low-wage workers, which disproportionately affects women, was documented to be 23.8% for women compared to 11.1% for men, underscoring the alarming prevalence of women in precarious employment situations.
Moreover, the organizing committee criticized the current government for maintaining systemic gender discrimination despite changes in leadership. They highlighted that many women, particularly those in specific employment arrangements like platform or freelance work, find themselves excluded from labor protections such as industrial accident insurance and maternity leave. They also expressed profound concern regarding the ongoing issues of sexual violence, revealing from recent surveys that one in five women in South Korea have experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or economic violence or control from an intimate partner at some point in their lives. The rally aims to draw attention to these pressing issues as organizations rally for justice and equality for women and marginalized groups in the country.
