South Korea's foreign worker parental leave payouts double within a year
Parental leave benefits paid to foreign employees in South Korea rose from 18.15 billion won to 36.45 billion won in one year, while the number of recipients grew by more than half.
According to figures provided to Rep. Park Soo-min by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, parental leave benefits for foreign workers in South Korea more than doubled, climbing to 36.45 billion won last year from 18.15 billion won the year before. The pool of beneficiaries expanded by over 50%, rising to 2,031 individuals compared with 1,354 previously. By July of one outlet year, 1,476 foreign nationals had already received 26.71 billion won in benefits.
Ethnic Korean Chinese accounted for the highest number of recipients (1,154) and the largest monetary share (22.56 billion won), with Vietnamese workers next in line. Other groups receiving benefits included Chinese, American, Japanese and Canadian nationals. The Ministry notes that foreign workers holding visas like E-9 or H-2 are eligible for employment insurance and thus can claim parental leave, prompting calls for more nuanced policies as these workers establish families in the country.
Why it matters
The surge highlights growing reliance on foreign labor and the need for tailored social policies in South Korea.
In this story
