Gwangju's 10 a.m. Start Time for Elementary School Parents to Become National Policy

First Introduced Nationwide in 2022, Expanding Across the Country Next Year
Ministry of Employment and Labor to Apply Policy for Preschool and Elementary School Parents

Kang Kijeong, mayor of Gwangju, visited Gwangun Business Co., Ltd. in Dong-gu on the morning of the 2nd and spoke with employees benefiting from the "10 AM Work Start Policy for Parents of Elementary School Students." Photo by Gwangju City

The "10 a.m. Start Time for Elementary School Parents" policy, which was first implemented in Gwangju, will be expanded to become a national policy.

On September 7, the Gwangju city government announced that the "10 a.m. Start Time for Elementary School Parents" policy will be incorporated into the Lee Jaemyung administration's work-family balance support measures as the "10 a.m. Start Time for Parents with Young Children," and will be implemented nationwide starting next year.

Since its initial introduction in 2022, this policy has received a strong positive response from working parents at small and medium-sized enterprises, and it is now recognized as a new milestone in the Lee Jaemyung administration's work-family balance initiatives.

Parents working at small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 300 employees can reduce their working hours by one hour per day without any reduction in wages, thereby improving the quality of childcare for their children.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has further expanded the scope of the policy to include parents with preschool-aged children and extended the support period to up to one year. This policy, now advanced as the "10 a.m. Start Time for Parents with Young Children," is attracting nationwide attention.

With this expansion, working parents of preschool and elementary school children across the country can now benefit from reduced working hours without wage cuts, and the policy is expected to create a synergy effect when combined with the government's "4.5-day workweek" initiative.

On September 2, Mayor Kang Gijung visited the workplace of Gwangun Business Co., Ltd., which has set an example of family-friendly management by adopting the 10 a.m. start time policy for elementary school parents, and listened to the voices of participating parents. Since last year, Gwangun Business Co., Ltd. has allowed seven elementary school parent employees to use the 10 a.m. start time policy as part of its work-family balance support.

One participating parent said, "Being able to spend mornings with my child has made my commute much more relaxed, and I am able to focus better at work, so I am truly satisfied. Thanks to Gwangju City's 10 a.m. start time policy, I can not only prepare my child for school but also spend more time with my family, which has greatly improved my work-life balance."

Mayor Kang stated, "It is very meaningful that the 10 a.m. start time policy for elementary school parents, which began in Gwangju, will be expanded nationwide to support work-family balance for all parents in Korea. Gwangju will continue to present innovative models and strive to become an even more vibrant city."