Paternity leave still taboo in South Korea
SOUTH Korea is one of the most generous countries when it comes to paternity leave, offering up to 53 weeks. But few fathers take advantage of this benefit for fear that it will penalise them in their careers, according to a recent survey.
Some 85% of the 1,720 South Koreans questioned for a KCTU Research Centre survey said they were reluctant to take paternity leave “due to fear that they would be subject to disadvantages in promotion or performance reviews,” reports The Korea Herald. A large proportion also fear that it will penalise them financially, reducing their income (80.6%).
What’s more, many South Koreans are reluctant to take paternity leave for fear of what people will say. Three quarters of those surveyed said they were worried about their employer’s negative opinion of the scheme.
This testifies to the strength of the gender stereotypes that are still prevalent in the workplace. A man who devotes part of his time to his children is afraid of appearing to his colleagues and superiors as someone weak, or someone who acts “like a woman.”
For a father, stepping back from work to spend time with his family can be a risky choice. A third of South Koreans who took longer-term paternity leave said they feared they would be at a disadvantage when they returned to work, as their superiors would doubt their professional commitment.
Reluctant fathers
Given current attitudes, it’s understandable that South Korean fathers are reluctant to take time out to participate in their children’s upbringing. Yet the government strongly encourages them to do so, at a time when the number of births continues to fall inexorably in the country.
Only 230,000 babies were born in South Korea in 2023, representing a 7.7% decline in one year.
Local authorities are unable to halt this fall in the birth rate, despite substantial public investment. Private companies are also trying to combat this worrying phenomenon. In February, the Booyoung construction group announced that it would pay a bonus of 100 million won (RM357,141) to employees who welcome a new child into their family. Electronics giant LG, meanwhile, has introduced a parental leave scheme lasting up to two years, and offers three days’ paid leave to employees undergoing infertility treatments.
These initiatives show just how concerned South Korean companies are about the impact of falling birth rates on the labour market.
But if South Koreans are going to have more children, it’s important to allow them to take time out to look after them, without fear of being ostracised. For this to happen, attitudes in the country must change.