🚨 Parental Leave: A System for Work-Life Balance

Today Korean Social News | 2025.05.06

📌 Parental Leave Usage Increasing, Male Participation Growing but Gender Gap Still Exists

💬 Over the past five years, the number of parental leave users has been steadily increasing, with male participation expanding rapidly. However, women still make up over 70% of all parental leave users, showing a gender gap continues to exist. The rate of parental leave use among workers at small businesses and non-regular workers is significantly lower compared to permanent employees at large companies. The government is working to improve perceptions by considering changing the term "parental leave" to "parental immersion period" and other awareness-raising efforts.

Summary

• Parental leave is a system that allows workers to take time off work to raise their children while maintaining job security.
• Male participation is growing, but the system is still perceived as mainly for women.
• Workers at small businesses and non-regular workers still face difficulties using the system.

1️⃣ Definition

Parental leave is a system that allows workers to take time off to care for children aged 8 or younger, or in the second grade of elementary school or below. Simply put, it's a system that allows parents to take time off work to raise their children while maintaining job security and receiving a certain level of income.

This is an important social system that supports work-life balance and allows parents to actively participate in raising their children.

💡 Why is it important?

• It's a key policy for addressing the low birth rate problem.
• It helps resolve gender imbalances in childcare and prevents career interruptions for women.
• It positively affects children's healthy development and parent-child relationships.
• It improves workers' quality of life through work-life balance.

2️⃣ Main Features of the Parental Leave System

📕 Basic Support

• Parental leave periods and eligibility are legally guaranteed. Parental leave can be used under the following conditions:

  • Workers with children aged 8 or younger, or in the second grade of elementary school or below, can use parental leave for up to 1 year.
  • Each parent can use up to 1 year, for a total of 2 years per child.
  • Parents can use parental leave simultaneously or consecutively for the same child.
  • Parental leave applies to workers who have been employed for at least 6 months.

• Parental leave benefits replace income. The following benefits are paid during parental leave:

  • For the first 3 months, 80% of regular wages are paid (maximum 1.5 million won, minimum 700,000 won per month).
  • From the 4th month, 50% of regular wages are paid (maximum 1.2 million won, minimum 700,000 won per month).
  • 25% of the benefits are paid as a lump sum after returning to work and working for at least 6 months (return incentive).
  • When parents use parental leave consecutively for the same child, the second user (usually the father) receives 100% of regular wages (maximum 2.5 million won per month) for the first 3 months under the "Dad's Month" program.

• Employment protection and non-discrimination clauses exist. Parental leave users' rights are protected as follows:

  • Employers cannot dismiss or treat workers unfavorably because of parental leave.
  • The parental leave period is included in the length of service.
  • After parental leave ends, workers must be returned to the same job or a job with the same level of pay.
  • When employers hire substitutes for workers on parental leave, the government provides substitute workforce subsidies.

📕 Recent Changes and Improvements

• The parental leave system is continuously being expanded and improved. Recent changes include:

  • Since 2022, the number of times parental leave can be divided has increased from once to twice.
  • Since 2023, when parents of a child under 1 year old use parental leave simultaneously, each can receive up to 3 million won monthly for 3 months under the "3+3 Parental Leave Program."
  • Since 2024, special types of workers and freelancers can also receive "childbirth and childcare support payments" equivalent to parental leave benefits if they join employment insurance.
  • In 2025, changing the term "parental leave" to "parental immersion period" is being considered to improve the negative perception that "leave" means "resting."

• Support for small businesses has also been strengthened. Support for promoting parental leave at small businesses includes:

  • When a worker at a small business uses parental leave, the employer receives a monthly "parental leave subsidy" of 300,000 won.
  • When hiring substitute workers, an additional "substitute workforce subsidy" of 800,000 won monthly (300,000 won for large companies) is provided.
  • Workers at small businesses who use parental leave receive an additional "small business parental leave worker subsidy" of up to 500,000 won monthly.
  • "Family-friendly certified companies" receive various incentives such as additional points in government procurement bids and financial support.

Key Challenges and Issues with the Parental Leave System

1. Blind spots exist: Non-regular workers, small business employees, and self-employed people face practical difficulties using the system
2. Lack of male participation: Men make up less than 30% of all parental leave users, still a low level
3. Career disadvantages: Concerns about implicit disadvantages in promotion and evaluation after returning from leave
4. Income reduction: Parental leave benefits are lower than actual wages, causing financial burden
5. Substitute workforce issues: Small businesses have difficulty finding suitable replacements

3️⃣ Current Status and International Comparison

✅ Domestic Parental Leave Status

• The number of parental leave users continues to increase. The current status of parental leave use in Korea is as follows:

  • As of 2024, about 160,000 people use parental leave annually, a 40% increase from 5 years ago.
  • Male parental leave users number about 48,000, accounting for 30% of the total and increasing every year.
  • Usage rates are high at public institutions and large companies, while rates at small businesses and among non-regular workers remain low.
  • By industry, usage rates are high in finance/insurance, public administration, and education services, while rates are low in construction, wholesale/retail, and accommodation/food services.
  • Usage rates tend to be lower for second and subsequent children compared to first children.

• There are survey results on parental leave satisfaction and effectiveness. Key findings include:

  • 85% of parental leave users responded that it "helped form relationships with their children."
  • 70% of women who returned to work after parental leave responded that it "helped maintain their careers."
  • 90% of male parental leave users responded that their "perception of childcare and housework changed."
  • However, 40% of parental leave users responded that they "experienced disadvantages in career development or promotion after returning."
  • Reasons for not using parental leave included "financial burden" (35%), "workplace atmosphere" (25%), and "substitute workforce issues" (20%).

✅ Comparison with Major Countries

• Advanced countries operate various parental leave models. Parental leave systems in major countries include:

  • Sweden provides 480 days of paid parental leave, with 90 days that each parent must use under a "quota system." Parental leave benefits guarantee about 80% of income.
  • Germany provides up to 14 months of paid parental leave through the "Elterngeld Plus" program, with an additional 2 months when both parents participate. The period is extended when combining part-time work and childcare.
  • Japan provides up to 12 months (14 months when both parents use it) of parental leave and pays 67% of income (50% after 6 months), promoting male participation through the "Ikumen" project.
  • Finland provides a total of 14 months of paid parental leave along with a "home care allowance" that provides additional support for caring for children under 3 at home.

• The domestic system has strengths and areas for improvement. Insights from international comparison include:

  • Korea's parental leave period (maximum 1 year) is at the OECD average level, but actual usage rates and male participation rates remain low.
  • Korea's parental leave benefit level is in the upper-middle range among OECD countries, but the income replacement rate is low, causing a significant financial burden.
  • Advanced countries operate various work-life balance systems together with parental leave, such as flexible work arrangements and remote work.
  • Policies that encourage male participation, such as "father quotas" or "bonus periods," have proven effective.
  • In Korea, changing corporate culture and social perceptions remains an important task alongside system improvements.

4️⃣ Related Terms Explained

🔎 Work-Life Balance

• Work-life balance means harmoniously combining work and family life.
• Work-Family Balance refers to the concept of harmoniously performing both work and family roles. It aims to improve quality of life by balancing work and family without leaning too heavily toward either side.
• Major policies for work-life balance include, besides parental leave, flexible work arrangements (staggered work hours, remote work, etc.), family care leave, workplace childcare facilities, and reduced working hours during the childcare period. These policies support workers in maintaining their work life while fulfilling their family care responsibilities.
• Work-life balance has various social meanings, including solving the low birth rate problem, preventing women's career interruptions, expanding men's participation in housework and childcare, and improving workers' quality of life. Interest in and importance of work-life balance has grown even more since COVID-19, as flexible work arrangements like remote work have spread.

🔎 Career Interruption

• Career interruption mainly refers to women's careers being discontinued due to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare.
• Career interruption refers to when a person with work experience leaves the labor market due to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, or family care. This happens frequently to women for these reasons, leading to the term "career-interrupted women" (recently efforts have been made to change this term to "career-holding women").
• Career interruption brings disadvantages such as lower wages, downgraded positions, and loss of expertise when returning to work. Socially, it causes problems like underutilization of female workforce, deepening gender wage gaps, and accelerating the low birth rate. Especially for highly educated women, career interruption means a loss of human resources nationally.
• Various policies are implemented to prevent career interruption, including, besides the parental leave system, reduced working hours during childcare periods, support for workplace childcare centers, and re-employment programs for career-interrupted women. Introducing flexible work arrangements like "smart work" and "job sharing" can also help prevent career interruption.

🔎 Family-Friendly Company

• A family-friendly company implements various systems to support work-life balance.
• A family-friendly company refers to a company that exemplarily operates systems to support workers' work-life balance. The government operates a family-friendly certification system according to the "Act on the Promotion of Creation of Family-Friendly Social Environment" and provides various incentives to certified companies.
• To be certified as a family-friendly company, requirements must be met such as operating a parental leave system that exceeds legal standards, introducing flexible work arrangements, supporting family care, installing workplace childcare facilities, supporting children's education, and creating a family-friendly culture. Certification must be renewed every 3 years, and outstanding companies are granted "excellent family-friendly company" certification.
• Family-friendly certified companies receive benefits such as additional points in government procurement bids, financial support (preferential loan rates, etc.), preferential treatment in various government support projects, and the right to use the family-friendly certification mark. From a company perspective, benefits include improved worker job satisfaction and loyalty, securing and retaining excellent talent, and improving corporate image.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Does using parental leave disadvantage my career?

A: Legally, disadvantages due to parental leave are prohibited, but in reality, there may be indirect effects. According to recent surveys, about 40% of parental leave users experienced some disadvantages in promotion, performance evaluation, and job assignment after returning. However, this situation is gradually improving, and many companies operate programs for the smooth return of parental leave users. Examples include pre-return job training, gradual return to work, and mentoring programs. To minimize disadvantages, strategies that can help include clear communication with supervisors and colleagues before leave, staying informed about company news and industry trends during leave, pursuing self-development activities if needed, and requesting an adjustment period after returning. If unreasonable discrimination occurs, issues can be raised through in-company grievance procedures or labor committees.

Q: Can parental leave be freely used at small businesses too?

A: Legally, all workers can apply for parental leave regardless of company size. However, in reality, small businesses may have constraints on parental leave use due to difficulties in workforce management, securing substitute personnel, and corporate culture. The government is strengthening support for small businesses to address these gaps. When a worker at a small business uses parental leave, the employer receives a monthly "parental leave subsidy" of 300,000 won, and an additional "substitute workforce subsidy" of 800,000 won monthly when hiring substitute workers. Small business workers also receive a separate "small business parental leave worker subsidy" of up to 500,000 won monthly. To use parental leave at a small business, it's good to consult with supervisors well in advance, prepare a specific plan for job handover, and consider alternative approaches like reduced working hours if possible. It's also helpful to actively use support programs provided by regional employment centers or the Korea Federation of SMEs.