Starting Next Year, Maximum Monthly Parental Leave Pay Increased to 2.5 Million Won

23.1 Million KRW per Year... 5.1 Million KRW Increase

On the 17th, the government reviewed and approved three presidential decree proposals under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Employment and Labor at the Cabinet meeting to follow up on the low birthrate measures announced last June and to improve related systems: ▲Partial Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Employment Insurance Act ▲Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Gender Equality in Employment ▲Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Collection of Employment and Industrial Accident Insurance Premiums. The effective date is January 1 of next year.

Going forward, childcare leave benefits will be increased and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be expanded according to the Enforcement Decree of the Employment Insurance Act. Currently, childcare leave benefits are 1.5 million KRW per month, with 25% paid after six months of returning to work. Starting next year, support will increase up to 2.5 million KRW per month, and the full amount will be paid during the childcare leave period without any deferred payment.

With this increase in childcare leave benefits, if a worker takes 12 months of childcare leave, the total benefit amount will rise from 18 million KRW to 23.1 million KRW, an increase of 5.1 million KRW. Additionally, couples who utilize the parental leave system (within 18 months after birth) together and take one year of childcare leave can each receive 29.6 million KRW, totaling 59.2 million KRW combined.

Government support to reduce the burden on SMEs will also be expanded. Starting next year, support will be provided not only for maternity leave and reduced working hours during childcare periods but also for cases where employees are absent due to childcare leave, through substitute workforce support funds. A new support fund for workload sharing related to childcare leave will also be established.

Furthermore, if an SME employer sends an employee on childcare leave for one year and hires a substitute worker, the government will provide up to 14.4 million KRW (1.2 million KRW per month for one year) in support. Some local governments such as Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, Gwangju, and Ulsan will additionally provide up to 2 million KRW annually to substitute workers hired.

According to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Gender Equality in Employment, integrated applications for maternity leave (including spouse maternity leave) and childcare leave will also become possible. Moreover, when an employee applies for childcare leave, the employer must express consent in writing within 14 days. If the employer does not respond, the employee will be allowed to take childcare leave as requested, improving the effectiveness of the law by amending the enforcement decree.

Through the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Collection of Employment and Industrial Accident Insurance Premiums, the effectiveness of the disclosure system for high-amount and habitual delinquents will be enhanced. When disclosing personal information of high-amount and habitual delinquents of employment and industrial accident insurance premiums, the industry and occupation will be added.

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