IONIQ5 production line at Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant (Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group)
SEOUL, July 11 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Co. hired a few female employees for the production line, for the first time in its history.
According to the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, out of the 185 production workers hired, six were women.
Currently, the carmaker employs around 28,000 production workers, with approximately 500 being women. Many of these women worked as subcontracted employees but became regular workers following a court ruling in their favor.
Discrimination against women in the recruitment process for high-paying production jobs is considered a major factor contributing to the gender wage gap.
Female subcontracted workers in manufacturing factories often earn significantly lower wages compared to their regular counterparts, despite performing the same tasks on the production line.
Critics argue that the commonly held belief linking the gender wage gap to women’s aversion to challenging and physically demanding work does not accurately reflect the reality.
In March, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union and civil groups stressed that even in the present day, young women experience anxiety while seeking employment, fearing that they may face discrimination based solely on their gender.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
