State Policy? Traditional Gender Stereotypes? Relative Contributions of Factors Affecting Positive Work–Family Interface for Working Mothers in Korea

Abstract

This study explores the gap between policy rhetoric and the reality faced by Korean working mothers, by addressing the following question; whether and to what extent do policy measures for work–family balance contribute to positive work–family interface for working mothers? Although the Korean government has advocated a positive relation between state policy and satisfaction with work–family balance, this is not necessarily the case in practice. To this end, this study focuses on the relative contribution of policy measures to achieve work–family balance reported by working mothers, in relative to traditional gender stereotypes based on Confucian culture as well as working conditions. An empirical analysis with 1,082 Korean working mothers shows interesting findings. First of all, the contribution of policy towards the reported satisfaction in work–family balance is not supported, while the set of traditional gender stereotypes is found to be a negative contributor. Husbands’ psychological support for their wives’ employment, which seems to strengthen the impact of traditional gender stereotypes, follows. The implications of the findings are discussed in depth, by considering the relationships between policy outcomes and traditional gender stereotypes in Korea.

Warriors in suits: A Bourdieusian perspective on the construction and practice of military masculinity of Korean men

“…Finally, our study uniquely contributes to the indigenous theorizing of masculinity in Korea. Confucianism has been used to explain the Korean masculine culture through the lens of the dichotomous gender identity (e.g., Kee, ; Won, ). An over‐reliance on Confucianist values to understand workplace masculinity in Korea, however, disregards the impact of another distinct and prominent subculture, the military (Rowley & Bae, ).…”

“…We conducted this study in the Korean cultural context. Militarism is a major part of Korean culture (Cho et al, 2016;Lee, Chung, Lee, & Seol, 2002) as is hegemonic masculinity (Cho et al, 2016;Kim, 2006;Won, 2016). Military service has been mandatory to all South Korean men since 1945 upon the division of North and South Korea (Chung, 2008).…”

“…In their early 20s, the majority of Korean men experience a militaristic culture through a two‐year mandatory military service that significantly impacts their masculinity. This ‘imprinted’ military masculinity is then sustained and re‐activated at workplaces where hegemonic masculinity is favoured as a virtue of employees (e.g., Cho et al, ; Won, ), and operates as a vehicle to climb the corporate ladder.…”

Teachers as good mothers, mothers as good teachers: Functional and ideological work–family alignment in the South Korean teaching profession

“…What can the theoretical framework of work–family alignment contribute to broader scholarly, policy and public debates about work and family? Won () has argued that government work–family policies implemented in the South Korean context within the last decade have not been effective due to ‘policy formalism' in which western models are replicated without ‘questioning of the cultural heritage of gender relations in the Korean family and workplace' (Won, , p. 162). Building on this critique, we similarly give importance to the specificities of the gendered cultural context in South Korea.…”

The Relationship Between Public Sector Employment and Population Health: Evidence From the 1980s and Its Contemporary Implications

“…The public sector is more likely than the private sector to comply with government regulations and offer work-life balance, resulting in women-friendly work conditions. 55 For example, judging from the results of a 2014 survey, the public sector in Pakistan is more likely than the private sector to adopt breastfeeding-friendly policies, such as maternity leave and breastfeeding breaks. 56 Similarly, during the last 3 decades of the 20th century, Italian women working in the public sector had a higher probability of giving birth than did private sector female employees.…”