Women, particularly married women, have suffered a bigger blow to employment compared to men during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to data released by the Korea Development Institute on Thursday, the number of employed women aged between 25 and 54 fell some 540-thousand last March compared to the previous year. That’s far greater than the drop of 320-thousand posted among men.

The institute said the decline came after businesses that provide face-to-face customer service, which largely employ women, were hit hard by the pandemic. 

The institute also cited the greater proportion of women employed in businesses related to education, accommodation and food as well as social welfare, areas that saw the biggest job cuts. Female staff accounted for 38 percent of personnel in  these sectors.

The institute said married women with jobs, in particular, lost their jobs after they failed to find alternative child care services, many of which were suspended due to the pandemic.