KOREAN NET

The child care leave allowance from next year will rise to a maximum of KRW 2.5 million per month. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Seon Ah

Child care leave pay from next year will rise up to KRW 2.5 million per month.

A Cabinet meeting on Dec. 17 passed after deliberation a partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Employment Insurance Act. As a follow-up measure announced on June 19 to raise the nation's the low birth rate, the revision takes effect on Jan. 1.

Under the revision, the maximum monthly pay for child care leave will jump to KRW 2.5 million from KRW 1.5 million. If a worker goes on such leave for 12 months, she can receive a combined KRW 23.1 million in such pay for the year, up from KRW 18 million this year.

In addition, a woman on child care leave can receive the full amount over the period without post-payment, up from just 25% of her salary paid six months after she returns to work.

More public support will also go to small and medium businesses. Up to KRW 14.4 million in annual subsidies can go to such an entity if it lets a female staff member go on child care leave for a year and hires a temporary replacement.

sofiakim218@korea.kr