Gangnam rolls out monthly parental leave grant for fathers

A father spends time with his daughter. (123rf)

Gangnam-gu Office announced Friday that it has launched a new incentive program offering fathers on parental leave 300,000 won ($207) per month for up to one year.

The initiative aims to ease the financial burden and workplace pressure that often discourage men from taking childcare leave.

“This incentive is intended to help narrow the gender gap in childcare responsibilities and make Gangnam a better place to raise children,” Gangnam Mayor Cho Sung-myung said.

Eligible recipients include male workers who have been registered residents of Gangnam for at least one year as of the application date, are enrolled in employment insurance and are receiving parental leave benefits.

Their children must also be registered residents of the district.

The program excludes fathers covered under the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s “6+6 Parental Leave” program, which grants both parents up to six months of paid leave -- at 100 percent of their regular salary -- to care for infants under 18 months.

Applications can be submitted starting one month after parental leave begins and up to one year after it ends, either online through Government24 or in person at a local community service center.

The policy reflects a shift away from one-off, early-stage childbirth support toward greater participation by fathers in childcare, the district office said.

In recent years, the district has steadily expanded its childbirth and parenting benefits, providing support worth about 7.9 million won in the first month after birth. Officials said these measures contributed to Gangnam achieving the highest birth rate growth nationwide for two consecutive years.