HRW urges South Korea to end age-based discrimination in employment

Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged South Korea to end age-based discrimination in employment by forcing the workforce to retire when they reach 60.

The rights group determined in a 72-page report Tuesday that the mandatory retirement age and the peak wage system constituted discrimination against older workers.

Workers are forced to retire once they reach 60, and can be employed again for half of their pay before retirement.

Employers can reduce older workers' salaries starting from three to five years before their mandatory retirement at 60.

HRW suggested that the government abolish the mandatory retirement age and wage system and review re-employment and social security programs.

Despite the aims of allowing older workers to keep their jobs until at least age 60, as well as financing employment of younger workers, the disadvantages for older workers outweigh the benefits, it said.

HRW suggested the government use less harmful methods to achieve its aims, such as ensuring professional development to aid older workers and subsidizing employers to hire younger workers.

The current policies disproportionately affect women more than men, it said.

"South Korea's laws and policies to protect older workers from age discrimination actually do the exact opposite," said Bridget Sleap, senior researcher on the rights of older people at HRW.

"They deny older workers the opportunity to continue working in their main jobs, pay them less, and push them into lower-paid, precarious work, all just because of their age. The government should stop punishing workers for getting older," she added.