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As of November final yr, three in 10 individuals taking parental depart have been males, a report excessive and a 20 % improve from the earlier yr, in response to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Monday. The variety of male staff taking parental depart is anticipated to surpass 40,000 for the primary time when December’s figures are included.
The labor ministry stated 39,463 male staff within the personal sector took parental leaves between January and November final yr, reflecting a 19.9 % improve in comparison with the identical interval in 2023. The determine covers these eligible for parental depart advantages underneath the nation’s employment insurance coverage system, which does not embrace authorities officers, lecturers or self-employed people who aren’t lined by insurance coverage.
The variety of male staff taking parental depart has proven regular progress over the previous 5 years, surpassing 20,000 for the primary time in 2019 and exceeding 30,000 in 2022. The figures have continued to rise, with 27,421 in 2020, 29,041 in 2021, 37,884 in 2022, 35,336 in 2023 and 39,463 from January to November final yr.
Together with December’s knowledge, the variety of males taking parental depart probably surpassed 40,000 for the primary time.
The proportion of males taking parental depart has steadily elevated annually, reaching 31.7 % between January and November final yr. Males accounted for twenty-four.4 % of parental depart in 2020, rising to 26.2 % in 2021, 28.9 % in 2022 and 28 % in 2023.

A new child rests in an toddler care unit of a postnatal middle in Seoul, April 24, 2024. Newsis
The ministry attributes the rising variety of males taking parental depart to improved and expanded methods supporting work-family steadiness, which foster a tradition of shared parental duty. Particularly, the ministry highlighted the numerous influence of revenue assist packages for fogeys who take leaves concurrently.
A brand new system, launched in January final yr, permits dad and mom with kids underneath 18 months to obtain their full wage for the primary six months if each take parental depart. The initiative goals to deal with revenue issues, beforehand seen as a serious barrier to parental depart.
Inside simply six months of its implementation, the brand new system exceeded the entire of 35,336 parental depart recipients in 2023, reaching a report excessive of 48,781 recipients.
The federal government believes that rising male participation in parenting is a key technique to deal with the nation’s severely low birthrate. With extra ladies coming into the workforce, the involvement of fathers in baby care is seen as a crucial consider supporting the financial and social actions of moms.
The labor ministry introduced its plans to lift parental depart advantages to a most of two.5 million received ($1,700) and prolong paternity depart from 10 days to twenty days.
„Enhancements to the parental depart system and expanded wage assist are fostering a tradition of shared parenting,“ stated an official from the ministry.“This shift will play a big function in tackling the low birthrate difficulty.”