One in Four Dual-Income Parents in Seoul Say They Feel "Depressed"

"Increased Care Burden on Working Moms Leads to Higher Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Thoughts"

A survey revealed that 24% of dual-income parents in Seoul experience depression issues.

The Seoul Institute announced on the 1st that it published an infographic titled "The Current Status of Seoul Working Moms and Working Dads," based on the results of the "2023 Seoul Caregiver Survey" and a survey and analysis on the childcare environment for infants and toddlers in Seoul, caregivers' mental health, and parenting stress.

According to a survey conducted last year targeting 555 dual-income couples in Seoul with children aged 0 to 9, 23.6% responded that they had experienced feelings of depression. The rates of insomnia and anxiety were 20.8% and 15.8%, respectively. Additionally, 8.6% had even contemplated suicide.

When asked about work-life balance over the past three months, 43.7% of working moms and 38.8% of working dads said, "Sometimes I forget what my life goals are because I am overwhelmed by work." Three out of ten working moms and dads worried about work even after leaving the office.

Working moms spent relatively more time on housework and childcare, while working dads spent more time on work and economic activities. Working moms spent 3.4 hours on housework and childcare, and working dads spent 1.8 hours. For work and economic activities, working moms spent 7.5 hours, and working dads 8.9 hours.

The institute found that as the share of childcare responsibilities taken on by working moms increased, the rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts tended to rise. Personal activity and rest time per day were only 1.4 hours for working moms and 1.5 hours for working dads.

In a survey of 807 married individuals aged 20 to 64 living with children aged 0 to 9 about parental leave, 30.3% of working moms and 46.4% of working dads answered that "the workplace atmosphere does not allow its use," indicating that many still feel pressured at work.

Among working mom households, 53.1% cited "care gaps" as the family difficulty they face as parents.

'Due to the "childcare concentration"... "Women's economic activity and childbirth have a 'negative' relationship"

According to the report "Study on Childbirth Disparities by Economic and Social Factors" published last month by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the coefficient for women's income last year was -0.04, showing a negative correlation with the number of children. When women's income increases by 100%, the number of children decreases by about 4%. In contrast, men's income showed a positive correlation with the number of children.

Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pointed out that "it is especially difficult for women in Korea and Japan to balance work and family," recommending the establishment of a virtuous cycle where women's economic activities contribute to economic growth and solving low birth rates through flexible working hours and sharing of housework. It also suggested expanding childcare facilities, providing incentives for husbands to take paternity leave to increase male participation in childcare, and expanding remote work and flexible working hours.