The government will seek to expand the period of paid paternity leaves from ten days to 20 days in order to prevent women’s career interruptions resulting from childbirth. 

During a meeting of economy-related ministers on Wednesday, the finance ministry revealed the plan as it announced a set of measures on strengthening social mobility. 

Such steps focus on expanding opportunities for the upward movement of income on the back of qualitative jobs while expanding opportunities of education for low-income households and the socially vulnerable and provide such groups support in asset formation. 

As part of such measures, the government will also seek to raise in stages monthly parental leave benefits which currently stand at a maximum of one-and-a-half million won, or some one-thousand-80 U.S. dollars.

The government also aims to expand the scope of its system on reduced working hours for parents during their childcare period. 

Such measures can be implemented only if the National Assembly gives consent as they require revisions to the Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act.

The finance ministry plans to submit related revised bills to the incoming National Assembly.