Asia-Pacific

S. Korea to allow up to 5 days of paternity leave

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-12 16:58

SEOUL - South Korea is set to allow up to five days of paternity leave starting next year, an attempt to raise the country's low birth rate, the labor ministry said Thursday.

The country currently allows male employees to take three days of unpaid leave, but changes to the system will allow three days of paid leave with two additional days of unpaid absence if necessary.

Employees can ask for reduced working hours during infancy, and employers cannot reject the request without special reasons, according to the new government plan.

South Korea's birth rate, or the average number of babies born during a woman's lifetime, decreased to 1.15 in 2009 from 1.19 in 2008. The average for member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) currently stands at 1. 64.

Its population growth has also been anemic, a source of concern as it could adversely affect the country's growth potential and fuel social costs associated with greater medical outlays for senior citizens.