Ruling and Opposition Parties Compete to Solve Low Birthrate... But Parliaments' Parental Leave Remains a Distant Issue [K Population Strategy]

(25) 2030 Women "Postponed Child Plans"
Changes Begin in Large Corporations
No Impact Felt in Small and Medium Enterprises
Bigger Barriers After Childbirth

Editor's NoteThe key to solving South Korea's population problem lies within companies. A workplace culture that evaluates employees based on their work regardless of gender and a family-friendly environment are crucial to addressing the K-population issue. While low birth rates are influenced by multiple factors, it is important to ensure that workplace burdens do not become obstacles that make people hesitate to have children. Asia Economy visited companies leading family-friendly policies to identify the factors that helped these systems take root stably, and plans to explore various solutions with companies facing practical challenges. Through this, we aim to encourage change starting from companies and analyze the government's role in enabling this. We listen closely to voices emphasizing that company culture and atmosphere that reduce psychological burdens are more critical than financial support, and propose alternatives from diverse perspectives.

Women in their 20s and 30s who have begun seriously considering marriage and childbirth commonly expressed hesitation about having children due to career interruptions and glass ceilings still present in the workplace. Among employees at large corporations where family-friendly policies such as parental leave and flexible work arrangements have been introduced, some have started to feel changes. However, employees at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who face practical difficulties from the policy formation stage lamented that these challenges are still ongoing.

Han Sang-ah (30, Gangnam-gu, Seoul), a married woman working at an SME, said, "Career interruptions among women occur more frequently than among men within the company," and added, "I have witnessed friends who moved to other regions or countries following their husband's job, and friends who resigned after parental leave because there was no one to take care of their child upon returning to work."

Han, who is planning to have a child, said she is worried when thinking about quitting her job or the difficulty of returning to work. She explained, "Having a child is not the end; until the child enters daycare, someone has to take care of them at home. If the child's grandparents live far away, it is difficult for them to help, so one of the parents inevitably has to quit working. Usually, the parent with the lower income quits, and in my family, that would be me." She continued, "When the child grows up and I try to work again, companies tend to prefer younger people, and it is not easy to find a job at that age, so even having a child itself is a concern."

Because of these circumstances, even among women planning to marry, voices of concern rather than anticipation about marriage and childbirth were heard. Cho Hyun-ah (30, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul), an unmarried woman working at an SME, said, "A female manager from another department was moved to a different department after returning from parental leave because there was no position in her original team, and I heard that the new team also refused to accept her," adding, "Due to the nature of the job, there are many late nights, so I am worried about how difficult it would be for both myself and my team members if I got pregnant, which makes me hesitate about marriage and having children."

The situation is even more challenging in the National Assembly, which is less well-known than general companies. Each lawmaker's office operates like a startup, with work conducted individually per office, and workload increases significantly before major events such as elections, making it difficult to even take regular leave, let alone parental leave or flexible work arrangements. A married woman in her 30s working in a lawmaker's office, A, said, "I keep postponing plans to have children due to concerns about career interruptions," and lamented, "Pregnant colleagues find it hard even to attend regular checkups, and even if they manage to take parental leave, they face uncertainty about when they might have to quit after returning." She added, "From the hiring stage, women with children are often not preferred. Due to career interruptions and other factors, many female aides are in positions below grade 7, but the proportion decreases as you move up the ranks."

On the other hand, in large corporations, changes such as flexible work arrangements and paternity leave for men have begun, and there is a sense that career interruptions are improving. Im Ye-ji (27, Songpa-gu, Seoul), who works at a foreign-affiliated large corporation, said, "Many of my female friends have experienced career interruptions after having children, but in my company, career interruptions are rare," and added, "Parental leave and returning to work are relatively flexible." However, she noted, "The proportion of male executives is still high, so it is not entirely free of obstacles for women to be promoted," but explained, "At least currently, being a woman or having children does not hinder advancement to senior positions."

B, a married woman in her 30s working in the financial investment industry, said, "In our company, the atmosphere nowadays is that employees can be promoted and receive salary increases even after returning from parental leave," and added, "Career interruptions have decreased compared to before, and recently, a woman was appointed to a director position for the first time." She also mentioned, "Men have gradually started taking paternity leave since last year, and the company encourages it."

Special Coverage Team 'K-Population Strategy - Gender Equality is the Answer'

Reporters: Kim Yuri, Lee Hyun-joo, Jung Hyun-jin, Boo Ae-ri, Gong Byung-seon, Park Joon-i, Song Seung-seop
Kim Pil-su, Economic and Financial Editor