Excerpt
Men accounted for almost one-third of all workers taking parental leave in the first half of this year in South Korea, marking the first time they have exceeded 30 percent.
According to data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on Sunday, fathers accounted for 32.3 percent of the 69,631 total parental leave takers from January to June this year.
The total number of workers taking parental leave increased by 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year, rising to 67,465.
While the number of female employees taking parental leave saw a slight decrease of 1.8 percent to 47,171, male employees experienced a notable increase of 15.7 percent, reaching 22,460.
The proportion of fathers taking parental leave has steadily risen over the years -- from 8.7 percent in 2016 to 13.4 percent in 2017, 21.2 percent in 2019 and 26.2 percent in 2021. By 2022, the ratio approached 3 in 10, at 28.9 percent.
This year, the proportion of fathers surpassed 30 percent for the first time, reflecting a significant rise in male parental leave takers.
...