In light of growing concerns regarding the country’s falling birth rates, the labor minister of South Korea stated on Thursday (Mar. 9) that raising the weekly work hour limit from 52 to 69 hours will provide working mothers with more options and assist them in raising children.

According to the government, people who want to take longer breaks, like parents or caregivers, will be able to do so if workers are allowed to accumulate more overtime hours in exchange for later vacation time.
When asked if the labor reform proposal will aid in addressing South Korea’s fertility crisis, the minister, Lee Jung-sik, stated, “We’ll introduce bold measures to help cut working hours during pregnancy or while raising children.”

However, those who oppose the measure claim that it will harm working mothers and other women rather than assist them.

In a recent statement, the Korean Women’s Associations United stated, “Women will have to do all the care work while men will work long hours and be exempt from care responsibilities and rights.”

With a fertility rate of 0.78 in 2022, South Korea has the lowest rate in the world. On Wednesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an order calling for “bold measures” to address the country’s fertility rate.

In a nation where many women are forced to choose between their careers and raising children, the ministry stated that the labor reform proposal, first presented in December and officially announced on Monday, is part of efforts to increase labor flexibility and improve work-life balance.