The lives of Korean women have changed quite a bit over time. According to data released by the National Statistical Office last Tuesday, the number of women who are working as primary breadwinners in Korea has gradually increased from less than 15 percent in 1980 to over 22 percent in 2009.

In line with this trend the age at which women are giving birth to their first child is also on the rise, as women are now choosing to walk down the aisle a few years later than did women in the past.

Financial independence is said to be playing a major role in changing women's lives. Although men in general still control the economy, the difference in the economic participation rates of men and women is said to be steadily closing. And while those in their early 20s showed the highest economic participation rates in 1998, today women in their late 20s are most heavily involved in the economy.

The most popular job among Korean women is teaching, with the number of female elementary school teachers accounting for as much as 74 percent of the total in 2008. The number of female lawmakers and public servants has also risen.

It was only in the 1980s that the first law on gender equality in employment was established in Korea. Even until the 90s women were not given equal opportunities or even recognized for their abilities simply based on their gender.