By Lee Hyo-sik
Nearly 10,000 civil servants at both central government agencies and municipal administrations took childcare leave in 2010, up nearly 30 percent from a year ago.
According to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, 9,806 workers employed at both central and local governments took a leave of absence for childcare last year, up 29.3 percent from 2009.
The figure has been increasing at a faster pace over the past few years. In 2009, 7,584 civil servants across the country took leave, up sharply from 5,953 in 2008 and 3,712 in 2007.
About 4,300 employees at 42 central government agencies took the leave in 2010, up 28.9 percent from a year earlier. Municipal administrations saw 5,497 workers take time off for childcare, up 29.6 percent.
Under the law, both male and female workers in public and private sectors are allowed to take leave for a year when their children are under 6 years old. They are also entitled to a 500,000 won state subsidy per month from employment insurance.
Before and after the birth, men can also take a three-day unpaid vacation, while women are given three months off during which they are paid a full wage by both their employers and employment insurance.
The ministry said government employees tend to be able to take leave for childcare more easily, compared to those at private firms.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 41,736 salaried workers in the private sector took parental leave in 2010, up only 17.9 percent from 35,400 a year earlier.
``Over the years, the government has expanded state subsides, the period of maternity leave and other support programs for workers who raise young children in order to boost Korea’s record-low birthrate. The workplace environment has also become friendlier toward those who take a break from work to care for a baby,’’ a ministry official said.
The official said it has become easier for government employees to take leave as substitute workers are more readily hired to fill in for them, adding that more state workers will apply for leave in the future.
The number of male civil servants taking leave for childcare has been increasing over the past few years. But the majority remains reluctant to take paternity leave, due to small state-subsidies and the prevalent workplace hostility toward men taking such leave.
In 2010, 458 male civil servants took paternity leave, up from 386 in 2009 and 296 in 2008. But it accounted for only one percent of 45,744 male employees eligible to the legally-guaranteed time off. Of the 41,736 private sector workers who took parental leave last year, only 819 were men.