

CEOs with over 3 children reap success despite difficulties

By Park Jae-hyuk

Korea has long been considered the worst place to be a working woman among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries.

According to the Economist, Korea was again named as the most unequal country for working women this year, in terms of higher education, labor-force participation, pay, child-care costs, maternity and paternity rights, business-school applications and representation in senior jobs.

The proportion of female executives at the nation's top 500 companies was no more than 2.7 percent, and 366 companies among the 500 had no female executives.

Against this backdrop, Rep. Shin Yong-hyeon of the minor opposition People's Party proposed a bill earlier this month for the prohibition of gender discrimination at workplaces. Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin also vowed last week to appoint a female CEO as soon as possible.

For now, however, most working mothers in Korea seemingly have no choice but to envy female chief executives in other countries who have multiple children.

The most recognized case must be Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube.

Wojcicki, who has led the video hosting subsidiary of Google since 2014, has five children.

Unlike prejudices against CEOs of global enterprises, she has been known for keeping a balance between her career and home. She reportedly spends time only with her family between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and does not check her emails.

Emphasizing the importance of paid maternity leave, the CEO also got the first paid maternity leave at Google.

Thanks to her efforts to shatter the glass ceiling, the proportion of female workers at YouTube has grown to 30 percent from 24 percent when she took the helm.

For most Korean working mothers, who have become frustrated with the glass ceiling, Wojcicki's case may be regarded as a thing of another world.

But still, there exist female CEOs with more than three children in this country as well.

M&K PR CEO Jeong Min-a, who has three daughters and two sons, is an example.

As the head of the PR agency, Jeong said she wakes up early in the morning to do her work and take care of her children. Just like Wojcicki, she often leaves her office at 5 p.m. so that she can spend time with her family.

Organizing her schedule for her job and housework every day, Jeong, who was the CEO of Min Communications, still serves as founder and president of M&K PR, the combination of her previous workplace and another PR agency SMC.

Another example is Moe Jean, the former CEO of Danone Pulmuone, who has three sons.

After working 27 years for global firms, such as Procter & Gamble, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Bausch Lomb, Moe became the head of Danone Korea in 2009. Then, she served as the CEO of Danone Pulmuone, the joint venture between the French-based Danone and the Korean food firm Pulmuone, from 2012 to early this year.

During her tenure, Danone's Activia yogurt became the top-selling yogurt in Korea. She also suggested the joint venture with Pulmuone, and her decision quadrupled the company's sales.

In addition to Jeong and Moe, Hansol Group founder Lee In-hee also raised three sons and two daughters.

Directing the group's overall businesses, she let her sons study abroad and talked with them in English. Her sons, who ask her for advice, call Lee their adviser instead of mother.

Lee is the eldest daughter of Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul.

Some people say the CEOs have enough money to hire someone to take care of their children. Their stories, though, may be far from the reality of ordinary working mothers.

Female CEOs admit such claims, attributing their success to support from their families and other people.

"Mothers of my children's friends take care of my children a lot. They offer rides to my children when they go on field trips," Jeong said. "A nice babysitter, who has taken care of my children for 10 years, also allowed me to give birth to five children."

Some female CEOs hoped the government will expand support for working mothers so they can build their careers without financial difficulties or support from their acquaintances.