Nowon-gu Supports Activation of the "Work-Life Balance Triple Package" to Encourage Childbirth

Supporting Work-Life Balance in Nowon-gu
Mandatory Paternity Leave, Parental Leave Culture, and Reduced Working Hours
District Leads the Way in Overcoming Low Birth Rates with the "Work-Life Balance Triple Package"

Nowon-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) has announced that it will support the activation of the "Work-Life Balance Triple Package" for public institutions and private companies under its jurisdiction as part of efforts to overcome low birth rates.

Although a variety of complex factors such as job insecurity, housing burdens, the pressures of childbirth and childcare, and intensified educational competition have been cited as causes of the low birth rate, experts in the field commonly agree that the fundamental issue is the breakdown of work-life balance.

The district plans to actively support the restoration of work-life balance by promoting the utilization of existing systems such as flexible working hours, staggered working hours, the use of annual or half-day leave according to school schedules, and parental or maternity leave. Through this, the district aims to create an environment and culture that is friendly to childbirth and childrearing.

The "Work-Life Balance Triple Package" consists of: ▲ Mandatory use of 10-day paternity leave, which employers are required to grant even if not requested; ▲ Creating a culture where employees can freely take parental leave; and ▲ Recommending the use of reduced working hours during the childcare period to support work-family compatibility.

To ensure the smooth implementation of the initiative, the district visited four affiliated organizations, including the Nowon-gu Facilities Management Corporation, and the Nowon-gu Chamber of Commerce in February, explaining the purpose of the project and requesting cooperation from approximately 500 companies in the region for its adoption.

To encourage active participation from companies, the district will provide systematic support for handover processes. The district office will offer its handover templates to HR teams at each company to help minimize any gaps in operations. In addition, the district will strengthen support systems for employees returning to work by promoting the "Incumbent Employee Program" at the local Women's Development Center.

Meanwhile, the district is also actively developing and implementing customized childcare policies tailored to different life stages, so that residents can tangibly benefit from a childrearing-friendly environment-not only by building infrastructure. Notable examples include: ▲ Nowon Safe Daycare Centers, which improve the quality of care by reducing the number of children assigned to each teacher; ▲ Ai Pyeonhan Taxi, which provides dedicated vehicles for infants, toddlers, and couples experiencing infertility when visiting hospitals or childcare facilities; and ▲ Ai Hue Center, the nation’s first after-school care facility for elementary students.

Thanks to these efforts, the district has received recognition for its excellence, including the "2022 Presidential Award for Childcare Merit," the "Minister of the Interior and Safety Award for Child Safety," and the designation as the "Best Child Protection System District." According to a population trend survey released by Statistics Korea, Nowon-gu also recorded the highest total fertility rate among all Seoul districts in 2023.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, stated, "We will continue our efforts so that a corporate culture of work-life balance can be established as soon as possible, allowing both mothers and fathers to happily raise their children in Nowon-gu."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.