The survey, by the Central Employment Information Office (CEIO), showed unmarried women earned W1.53 million (US$1,530) a month on average, W253,000 more than married woman with W1.27 million.

The higher a woman's education level, the more likely she is to be unmarried. Of single women, 3.6 percent were high school graduates, 9.8 percent were college graduates, 15.4 had a master degree and 32.1 percent had a doctorate. Many single respondents worked in offices or as designers, academics, in finance firms or as system operators. By employment type, 53.5 percent of single women were regular employees, compared with only 31.5 percent of married women.

For men, the shoe is on the other foot. Married men earn W2.26 million a month on average, W531,000 more than single men with W1.72 million.

CEIO researcher Lee Sang-hyun said that a majority of single female employees work in professional fields and chose to remain single because they are reluctant to take on the extra burden of married life and childcare. He said the government needs to give more support for women who work.

(englishnews@chosun.com )