• Women comprise 38% of college and university students and 16% of university faculty
• Women make up half of college and university graduates
• 35% of IT jobs are held by women
• Women make up 45% of Internet users
• 47% of all women are employed. However, although almost half of the country’s college graduates are women, only 54% participate in the workforce.
• Women hold 35% of the country’s information technology positions
• Women are starting to enter the IT sector as entrepreneurs

Gender Policy Framework

The Ministry of Gender Equality (http://www.moge.go.kr/eng/) is the central body addressing women’s issues. Established in January 2001 to replace the Presidential Commission on Women's Affairs, the Ministry mandate is “the prevention of sexual violence and domestic violence, victim protection, and gender discrimination prevention and relief.” The Ministry consists of the following four divisions:

• Office of Planning and Policy Coordination: Monitors the implementation of the Women's Policy Master Plan and legislative efforts to promote gender equality. It coordinates women's policies in the central and local governments. In addition, it conducts research and policy studies on issues relevant to women.
• Gender Equality Promotion Bureau: The Bureau investigates cases of gender discrimination to remedy discriminatory practices. It is responsible for the implementation of programs to enhance public awareness about gender equality and the promotion of anti-discriminatory measures in the public sector. In addition, it is responsible for the Committee on Gender Equality Promotion.
• Women's Rights Promotion Bureau: Enhances public awareness on women's rights throughout society. In particular, it establishes the master plan for guiding and protecting women in prostitution as well as takes measures to deal with domestic violence and sexual crimes.
• Cooperation and Liaison Bureau: The Bureau cooperates with internal and international women's organizations.
  The government has established IT venture funds and support centers called “Training Centers for Women Business Start-ups” that offer management consulting and office space for prospective start-ups. Statistics of the Small Business Association of Korea show that 90% of women supported by the training centers last year pursued Internet-related businesses.

Non-Government Gender and IT Activities

• The Asian Women's Resource Exchange (AWORC) (www.jca.apc.org/aworc/) is a regional women's information service and network for Asia.  AWORC “aims to help expand existing regional networks in the women's movement, promote electronic resource sharing and build a regional information service that will support women's advocacies.”  Members include women's information, resource and documentation centers; women's information providers and users; communications organizations working closely with women's networks. 
• The Asian Pacific Women's Information Network Center (APWIN) (http://www.women.or.kr) is an AWORC member whose purpose is “to promote the use of multimedia applications and information technologies among women.” Most notably, APWIN collaborates with government, the UN and other NGOs to provide ICT education. Since 1997, it has led computer and e-business trainings for female professionals, housewives, and female senior citizens. APWIN also works with the Ministry of Gender Equality and other collaborating institutions to develop publications on ICTs and women.
• Another AWORC member, The Korean Women's Development Institute (KWDI) (www.kwominet.or.kr) conducts research and studies on women, provides education and training for women, and assists in women's activities. It has three programs: the Research Center, the Lifelong Education Center, and the Women's Information Center. Most notably, the Lifelong Education Center provides gender consciousness education, women's leadership training, and women's capacity development.