<Anchor>
We deliver a changing image of our society. When you think of 'parental leave', it is easy to think of working moms, but now, there are many fathers who temporarily quit their jobs to take care of their children. In the past 10 years, parental leave for fathers has increased by 20 times.
Correspondent Jo Ki-ho.
<Reporter>
Jang Young-jae took maternity leave for six months this year.
[Jang Young-jae / 17th year public official: Due to the prolonged corona virus, the number of days that children cannot go to school has increased. So the situation in which the father has no choice but to take maternity leave because he cannot provide good food or other things to the children properly... .]
Dad says he can take a break from work for the sake of the kids.
[Jang Young-jae / 17th year public official: I have a bit of prejudice if a male employee takes parental leave, but now my dad has to take on the role of childcare… .]
Such thoughts as Mr. Jang are evident in the statistics.
Of the 170,000 people who took parental leave last year, 38,500 were fathers, accounting for 22.7%.
Ten years ago, there were only 2,000 people, but it has increased nearly 20 times.
By industry, fathers in manufacturing and mothers in health fields such as hospitals took the highest number of parental leave, and mothers or fathers were civil servants second.
But still, it's just a matter of large corporations.
63.5% of those on parental leave belong to workplaces with 300 or more employees, and only 3.5% for workplaces with four or fewer employees.
From next year, the subsidy system of up to 800,000 won per month to business owners for replacement workers for parental leave will be abolished, so the polarization in parental leave is unlikely to be resolved for the time being.
(Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)