SEOUL, The number of South Korean workers who took parental leave rose by the most in 11 years in 2022 and a record level of nearly 30 percent of workers taking such leave were fathers, data showed Wednesday.
A total of 199,976 workers took time off to take care of their children last year, up 14.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
It marked the sharpest annual growth since 2011, when the number jumped 28.7 percent on-year.
“The growth came as many companies opted to end their work-from-home policy amid eased antivirus curbs and the government extended support for parents,” an agency official said.
By law, people whose children are younger than 8, or below the second grade of elementary school, are entitled to apply for a maximum one year of maternity or paternity leave.
The government provides financial support for subscribers to employment insurance who also sign up for parental leave in an effort to tackle the country’s ultra-low birthrate.
This undated photo shows a father taking care of a baby on Feb. 22, 2021.
The number of male workers taking parental leave surged 28.5 percent on-year to 54,240 in 2022.
It was the first time that the number of fathers who took such leave surpassed the 50,000 level since 2010, when the agency began compiling the relevant data.
The proportion of male workers taking the leave reached an all-time high of 27.1 percent last year.
The ratio has been on a constant rise from 6 percent in 2015 to 12.8 percent in 2017 and 22.6 percent in 2020.
Women accounted for 72.9 percent of the total workers on parental leave last year, and the number of women who took maternity leave rose 9.6 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.
By age, women aged 30-34 accounted for the biggest portion of all mothers who took maternity leave with 40.8 percent, followed by those aged 35-39 with 34.1 percent.
Among male workers, people aged 35-39 accounted for the largest 39.7 percent, followed by those in their 40s with 35.3 percent.
More than six out of every 10 employees who took parental leave in 2022 worked for large-sized companies.
Of male workers who took the leave, 70.1 percent were affiliated with companies with 300 and more employees, and the proportion came to 60 percent for working mothers.
By industry, employees in the manufacturing sector accounted for 22.6 percent of fathers who took such leave, followed by 20.2 percent in the public administration and defense sector.
Among mothers, those working in the public health and welfare segment took up the largest share of 19.1 percent, followed by the public administration and defense sector with 15 percent and the education service field with 12.5 percent, the data showed.
Source: Yonhap News Agency