1 in 4 parental leave users are dads: data
SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- One in four parents who took parental leave in the first half of the year were fathers, data showed Thursday, as more of them opted to stay home for child care as schools closed amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
The number of men who went on parental leave in the January-June period reached 14,857, accounting for 24.7 percent of 60,206 parental leave users in the private sector, according to the data by the labor ministry. The data does not include public servants and teachers.
The figure has been rising each year, coming in at 16.9 percent in the first half of 2018 and 20.7 percent in the same period in 2019.
On an annual basis, the number of men on parental leave increased from 17,665 in 2018 to 22,297 in 2019. The ministry projected the figure to exceed 30,000 this year.
The ministry attributed the on-year increase to policy efforts as well as a changing parenting culture that encourages both fathers and mothers to look after their children.
It also explained that a lot of parents decided to take leave as schools across the country were suspended in a precautionary measure against the pandemic.
The data, meanwhile, showed that the number of fathers who applied for a special program that allows workers to reduce working hours for child care was also on a rise.
There were 905 men on the program in June this year, compared with 326 in the previous year. They accounted for 11.6 percent of all workers who were on the program, according to the ministry.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
(News Focus) Samsung's Lee expected to solidify leadership, step up biz activities after receiving pardon
-
S. Korea expresses deep regret over Japanese PM's offering to war shrine
-
(LEAD) Yoon pledges to improve ties with Japan, offers economic aid in exchange for N.K. denuclearization
-
(LEAD) Bill Gates calls for S. Korea to play leading role in global health cooperation
-
Minor candidate proposes candidacy merger in DP leadership race
-
(2nd LD) Samsung heir Lee granted special presidential pardon
-
(News Focus) Samsung's Lee expected to solidify leadership, step up biz activities after receiving pardon
-
(LEAD) Yoon pledges to improve ties with Japan, offers economic aid in exchange for N.K. denuclearization
-
(3rd LD) THAAD issue not subject to negotiation: presidential office
-
Today in Korean history
-
(LEAD) N. Korea fires two cruise missiles toward Yellow Sea: S. Korean official
-
N. Korea fires two cruise missiles missile toward Yellow Sea: S. Korean official
-
(LEAD) S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases soar to 4-month high of over 180,000
-
(3rd LD) Yoon offers to carry out aid projects as long as N.K. shows denuclearization commitment
-
Yoon says he doesn't want change status quo changed by force in N. Korea