Excellent SMEs for Work-Family Balance to Receive Tax Audit Deferrals Starting Next Year

High-Level 5th Emergency Population Measures Meeting
Tax Audits Deferred from January Next Year... Up to 2 Years
Maternity and Miscarriage Leave Extended to 10 Days... Spouse Leave Newly Established for 3 Days
Mandatory Disclosure of Parental Leave Usage Rates for Listed Companies

The government will postpone regular tax audits for outstanding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that excel in work-family balance for up to two years starting January next year. In addition, the leave period for early pregnancy miscarriage and stillbirth will be extended from the current 5 days to 10 days, and spousal leave will be newly established for 3 days. Going forward, listed companies will be required to disclose the usage rates of parental leave for both men and women.

The Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy held the 5th Emergency Population Countermeasure Meeting at the Government Seoul Office on the afternoon of the 30th, chaired by Vice Chairman Joo Hyung-hwan, and announced additional measures to support pregnant and childbirth households and promote work-family balance.

Starting January next year, the government will implement a two-year postponement of regular tax audits for SMEs recognized for excellence in work-family balance. Among approximately 4,300 companies certified as family-friendly or excellent in work-life balance, SMEs selected for regular tax audits by the National Tax Service can defer the audit for up to two years from the scheduled start date. This aims to reduce the burden on SMEs that have strived to spread a culture of work-family balance despite relatively difficult conditions.

The leave system for miscarriage and stillbirth will also be improved. In cases of early pregnancy miscarriage or stillbirth, the leave period will be extended from the existing 5 days to 10 days. Currently, leave is provided as 5 days up to 11 weeks of pregnancy, 10 days from 12 to 15 weeks, and 30 days from 16 to 21 weeks, so this change increases the relatively short leave period during early pregnancy. Paid spousal leave of 3 days will also be newly introduced to help women physically and mentally recover from miscarriage or stillbirth. The government plans to support wages to alleviate the burden on SMEs resulting from this.

Medical expense support for infertile couples will also be expanded. Previously, if egg retrieval failed and infertility treatment was discontinued, health insurance benefits already provided were not reclaimed, but local government subsidies had to be returned. Starting November, even if treatment is discontinued due to failure to retrieve eggs or secure fertilizable eggs, local governments will provide treatment cost support without deducting the number of treatment attempts, similar to health insurance benefits.

Improvements to postpartum care center services have also been prepared. First, through amendments to the Maternal and Child Health Act, evaluations of postpartum care center services regarding safety, hygiene, and service quality will be made mandatory. Additionally, in regions with poor childbirth-related infrastructure, two or more local governments will cooperate to expand public postpartum care centers. The Local Extinction Response Fund will be utilized for establishment efforts.

Short-term parental leave will be made more flexible in practice, changing from the current use of 2-week units once a year to 1-week units once a year, allowing up to 2 weeks of use.

Disclosure of parental leave usage rates by gender in listed companies will be effectively mandated. Currently, public institutions disclose male and female parental leave usage rates through Alio and Clean Eye platforms, and listed companies will revise the 'corporate disclosure format' by November to effectively mandate disclosure of parental leave usage rates by gender.

Additionally, designated seats for pregnant women will be distinguished on metropolitan buses, and exclusive parking spaces for families with infants and pregnant women will be installed through improvements to the Parking Lot Act. A comprehensive information service called 'Benefit Alimi,' which provides, guides, and recommends various support policy information from the state and local governments, will also be established. Starting from the first quarter of next year, the Benefit Alimi service will first be offered for childbirth-related public services and later expanded to other public service areas such as infants and young children, elementary school students, and marriage.

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