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The Korean government declared a national emergency and launched an all-out response to address the low birth rate problem, which is progressing at an unprecedented rate.
President Yoon Seok-yeol held the Low Birth Rate and Aging Society Committee on June 19 and announced ‘measures to reverse the low birth rate trend.’ This measure focused on three key areas, including ‘work-family balance’, ‘childcare’, and ‘housing’, which are the direct causes of low birth rates.
Apply for parental leave with ease
First, the government decided to improve the work-family balance system to ensure sufficient childcare time when needed.
There are four important contents: ▲introduction of short-term childcare leave for two weeks once a year, ▲increase in the upper limit of childcare leave wages to 2.5 million won, ▲establishment of a replacement manpower support fund for childcare leave, and ▲expansion of the paternity leave period for fathers to 20 days. Looking at these details in detail, it has been decided to significantly increase the parental leave pay, which is currently up to 1.5 million won, to 2.5 million won for the first three months and 2 million won for the next three months. Additionally, there is a workplace atmosphere in Korea where it is not easy to apply for parental leave. The government has decided to improve the ability to apply for childcare leave together with maternity leave so that workers can use childcare leave with peace of mind without being judged. Additionally, if the employer does not allow childcare leave in writing within a certain period (within 14 days), the application will be approved as requested.
We decided to increase the period of paternity leave from 10 to 20 days so that fathers can also participate in raising children.
It was also decided to increase the total period when both parents take parental leave for more than three months from one year to one year and six months.
Foreign workers put into child care
The government has decided to create a care environment that can be used by all infants and children aged 0 to 11. There are three core contents: ▲realization of free education and childcare in stages for ages 0 to 5 ▲expansion of free operation of the Neulbom Program in stages ▲expansion of win-win workplace daycare centers.
The government plans to gradually expand free education and childcare to 5-year-olds by next year, and then to 3- and 4-year-olds thereafter.
We provide basic operating hours (8 hours) + child care (4 hours) so that anyone can use the kindergarten or daycare center as much as they want, and 100% participation is guaranteed for children who wish to attend.
It is said that Neulbom School for elementary school will be expanded to all grades in all schools nationwide by 2026, and the free operation of the program will also be gradually increased. It is said that Neulbom School will be operated even during vacations in the future.
In particular, we decided to actively involve foreign residents in caring for their children. We decided to introduce about 1,200 foreign housekeepers in the first half of next year and allow foreign students and spouses of foreign workers to work as housekeepers (5,000 people in a pilot project).
To make it easier for pregnant families to live comfortably
The government also paid attention to housing policy to ensure that Korea's high housing prices do not become an obstacle to marriage, childbirth, and childrearing. To summarize the policies, ▲ Temporary abolition of income criteria for special loans for newborns ▲ Expansion of housing supply for households with childbirth to 120,000 units per year ▲ Supply of up to 14,000 housing units for newlyweds, new mothers, and multi-child households ▲ Special supply of housing for new households with births One additional time is allowed, etc.
In addition to expanding the supply of housing to newlyweds and households with children, we plan to make it easier to borrow funds for home purchases and leases at lower interest rates.
In addition, if a child is born while living in public rental housing, renewal of the contract will be allowed regardless of income and assets until the child reaches adulthood, and if desired, relocation to a larger apartment will be supported.
Convenient daily life for multi-child households
In addition, we decided to implement policies that are convenient for families with multiple children in their daily lives. We decided to introduce a fast track system that allows children to enter faster without waiting in line when going to national or public cultural facilities, sports facilities, or government offices, and to install parking bays exclusively for families with infants.
In particular, we decided to encourage the spread of special admissions for families with multiple children within the quota that each university currently operates autonomously, and to expand national scholarship support for families with multiple children.
We decided to expand the scope of automobile acquisition tax reduction benefits from three or more children to two or more children, while also expanding discounts for high-speed trains, airport parking lots, and cultural tourism facilities.
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