South Korea to have more fathers take parental leave amid low births

The figure would mark a sharp increase from just 6.8 percent recorded in 2022, according to the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy. The rate for mothers stood at 70 percent in the same year.

The country also aims to reduce the proportion of women experiencing childbirth-related career interruptions to 10 percent by 2030, compared with 22.3 percent recorded this year.

The government has been unveiling a series of measures to address the country's chronic demographic challenges that include the world's lowest birth rate.

The committee said the government has already taken actions for 143 out of 151 related tasks as of November.

The total fertility rate, which refers to the average number of expected births per woman in her lifetime, came to 0.76 in the third quarter, far below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.

The government plans to raise the fertility rate to 1 by 2030.

"We have prepared various policies, including offering short-term parental leave, raising the ceiling on monthly subsidies and allowing men to take leave when their spouses are pregnant," a committee official said.

The government also plans to support fertility tests for 210,000 people in 2027, up from 80,000 in 2022.

The committee announced detailed measures to support premature babies as well, aiming to establish two new emergency centers dedicated to treating critically ill mothers and newborns next year.

Premature babies refer to those born before 37 weeks of pregnancy or weighing less than 2.5 kilograms. Approximately 28,000 babies were born prematurely in 2023, accounting for over 10 percent of newborns, according to government data.

The country will launch a 24-hour transport support system to ensure timely care for mothers and babies in critical conditions, the committee added.