Nearly 40% of parental leave takers are fathers as usage tops 100,000

Nearly 40% of fathers in South Korea are now taking parental leave, with the total number of recipients exceeding 100,000 in the first half of 2026. This marks a substantial increase in fathers utilizing childcare leave, a trend the Ministry of Employment and Labor attributes to supportive government policies.

The Ministry's "2026 First Half Work-Life Balance Support System Utilization Performance" report revealed that 103,983 individuals received parental leave benefits during the first half of the year, a 9.5% rise from the 94,993 recipients in the same period last year. Of these, 40,320 were men, accounting for 38.8% of the total. The proportion of fathers taking leave surpassed 30% for the first time in 2024 and continued its upward trajectory, reaching 36.5% in the first half of last year.

Officials believe the "6+6 Parent Parental Leave system," introduced in 2024, along with increased parental leave benefits and expanded support for alternative staffing and work-sharing to mitigate workforce gaps, have significantly influenced this trend. The utilization of four key work-life balance support systems, parental leave, reduced working hours during childcare periods, pre- and post-natal leave, and spouse's birth leave, also saw an increase. In the first half of 2026, 199,911 workers utilized these systems, already exceeding half of the total recipients for the entire previous year (342,388).

The Ministry anticipates that the number of users for these four systems will reach an all-time high by the end of 2026 if the current trend continues. Further improvements to the system are planned for the second half of the year. Starting August 20, a short-term parental leave system, usable once a year for one or two weeks, will be implemented. On September 18, a "Spouse Support 3-Set" package will launch, including a new leave for miscarriage or stillbirth and allowing spouse's pre- and post-natal leave to be taken from 50 days before the expected delivery date. Additionally, parents can take parental leave before childbirth if the spouse is at risk of miscarriage or premature birth.