Beginning February 23, 2025, South Korea is implementing significant changes to its paternity leave policy. This article aims to cover the key legislations impacting fathers. Please seek independent legal advice for the wider legislative changes in South Korea impacting parents in general.
Key Changes to Paternity Leave in South Korea
Under the new regulations, fathers are entitled to 20 days of paid paternity leave, which must be taken within 120 days of the child’s birth. Previously, fathers were entitled to 10 days. Additionally, the paternity leave can now be split into three separate segments, allowing employees more freedom to choose when and how they take their leave.
At present, pregnant employees are currently entitled to 90 days of maternity leave (120 days if pregnant with multiple children), regardless of whether the birth is premature or not.
Childcare Leave and Reduced Working Hours Changes
In addition to paternity leave increasing, childcare leave is also increasing from one year to one and a half years for (1) single parents; (2) parents of a child with a severe disability; or (3) where each parent takes more than 3 months of childcare leave. Childcare leave can also be split into three separate segments instead of the previous two.
Furthermore, employees can request reduced working hours to care for children who are 12 years old or in sixth grade of primary school or younger; previously this was only for children who were 8 years old or younger. This reduced work period can last for up to 1 year and may be split into 1-month segments. However, employees with fixed-term contracts cannot use reduced working hours until at least 1 month before the termination of their contract period.
Instead of 25% of childcare leave being paid only six months after returning to work, now, the full payment will be made during the childcare leave period.
Implications for Employers
The new paternity and childcare leave policies in South Korea require employers to review and adjust their policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the updated regulations. This includes managing requests for leave and maintaining records of leave taken.
With the option to split leave into multiple segments, employers may need to adopt more flexible scheduling and human resource strategies to accommodate these changes.
How Atlas HXM Can Support
For global companies with operations in South Korea, navigating these changes can be complex. Atlas HXM provides robust global payroll and compliance solutions, ensuring that your company remains compliant with the latest laws and can manage the logistics of employee leave seamlessly.
Our platform helps you stay on top of evolving labor laws and simplifies the process of tracking leave entitlements across multiple regions.