In an effort to boost family support and tackle its ongoing population challenges, South Korea has revised two major labor laws—the Gender Equality in Employment and Work-Family Balance Act and the Labor Standards Act. These updates are designed to strengthen parental rights in the workplace and promote a more balanced professional and personal life for working parents.

Here’s what’s changing, starting February 2025.

Parental Leave Extended to 18 Months

To provide greater flexibility for families:

1. Eligible parents can now take up to 18 months of childcare leave (increased from 12 months),
2. This includes single parents, parents of children with disabilities, and parents who both take at least 3 months off,
3. The leave can now be used in four separate blocks, allowing parents to space it out as needed.

More Support for Fathers: Paternity Leave Doubled

South Korea is doubling down on father-focused policies:

1. Paternity leave is now 20 days, up from 10,
2. Leave must be taken within 120 days of childbirth,
3. Fathers may split this leave into up to four separate periods,
4. Small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) will receive full government wage support for the entire leave period.

Expanded Leave for Miscarriage and Infertility

New provisions also aim to better support couples facing reproductive challenges:

1. Women can now take 10 days of miscarriage leave, doubling the previous allowance,
2. Spouses are granted 3 days off during miscarriage recovery,
3. Infertility treatment leave increased to 6 days, with 2 days being paid.

Reduced Working Hours for Pregnant Employees

To promote safer working conditions during pregnancy:

1. Pregnant workers in early (under 12 weeks) or late stages (over 32 weeks) can reduce their daily hours by 2 hours,
2. There will be no loss in pay,
3. Reduced hours will still count as full service for employment benefits and promotions.

Tougher Regulations on Wage Delays

To protect workers’ rights, the government is introducing stronger enforcement:

1. Employers who habitually delay wage payments will be publicly named,
2. Travel restrictions may apply to repeat offenders,
3. Workers may be able to claim up to three times the unpaid wages in damages.

Incentives and Transparency for Family-Friendly Workplaces

To motivate companies to implement better work-family balance programs:

1. SMEs that adopt supportive policies may benefit from a two-year grace period on tax audits,
2. Private companies must now report parental leave usage, a practice previously limited to public sector organizations.

What You Need to Know

These legislative changes represent a big leap forward in supporting working families and promoting gender equality in the workplace. Employers are encouraged to update their internal policies by the February 2025 deadline, while employees will benefit from expanded rights, more flexibility, and stronger workplace protections.

For more details and the official announcement, visit the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s website.