People Power Party Announces Women's Policy Pledges
Six Days of Paid Infertility Treatment Leave
Introduction of "Partial Worker Representative System"
The People Power Party has announced pledges to double the parental leave period for employees who work half their usual hours during parental leave, and to expand health insurance coverage for the cervical cancer prevention vaccine.
On May 20, the party's Policy Headquarters unveiled these women's policy pledges.
First, the party stated that it would expand childcare services so that people can work without worrying about quitting their jobs after marriage or while raising children. The plan includes increasing government support for private childcare services and expanding tax benefits for out-of-pocket childcare expenses. In addition, the party will broaden options for companies' childcare support obligations by not limiting them to workplace daycare centers, but also including childcare service vouchers.
Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is appealing for support from citizens during the "Renew Soul" intensive campaign held at Seoul Station Plaza on the 19th. 2025.5.19 Photo by Kim Hyunmin
The statutory leave period for workers receiving infertility treatment leave will be converted to fully paid leave for all six days. To ease the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises resulting from this change, the government will provide partial support through employment insurance. The party also pledged to introduce a "half-time parenting system," under which employees who spend their parental leave working half their usual hours will have their leave period doubled. For workers such as ultra-short-term employees who are not covered by employment insurance and experience a reduction in income due to childcare, a pilot program for parental leave allowances will be introduced. Parents with two or more children will be eligible for support to use a housekeeping assistant twice a month.
The party also announced pledges for women who choose not to marry. It plans to introduce a "designated caregiver registration system," allowing individuals to register trusted acquaintances or community members as legal guardians, regardless of blood or marital ties. Registered "designated caregivers" would be granted rights such as consenting to medical treatment, accessing information, and requesting protection at hospitals, police stations, and emergency institutions.
For women in the workplace, the party plans to introduce a "partial worker representative system." By institutionalizing this in the Labor Standards Act, it will allow changes to female-related working conditions to be made solely based on the opinions of female employees. The party will also seek to expand the "gender equality recruitment target system" to public institutions and increase opportunities for women to serve in the military by introducing a system for female military professionals.
The party also proposed measures to protect women's health. Free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations will be expanded to include all men and women aged 26 and under. The party will introduce a "women's safe housing certification system" to ensure women can live with peace of mind, and will pursue legislation to address gaps in the protection of victims of dating violence.
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