[News Today] PARENTAL LEAVE TO EXTEND TO 3 YRS

[LEAD]
After days of fierce debate over various controversial bills, the ruling and opposition parties have united to prioritize people's welfare. The so-called 'three maternal instinct protection laws,' extending parental leave among other measures, have passed the National Assembly's Standing Committee just before the Chuseok holiday.

[REPORT]
At present, parents are entitled to parental leave of up to two years, one year for each parent.

But the duration of childcare leave is likely to be extended to maximum three years in the future.

The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee passed the so-called 'three maternal instinct protection laws,' demonstrating that the two opposing camps came together despite political differences to solve Korea's low birthrate problem.

The duration of maternity leave for a spouse will be lengthened and a woman will be entitled to the shortened working hours system starting at 32 weeks of pregnancy.

Leave for infertility treatment will also be increased from three to six days.

Both the ruling and opposition parties said the motion was passed because they agreed to put the issues related to people's everyday lives ahead of everything else.

Kim Ju-young/ Environment and Labor Committee (DP)
Rival party leaders showed willingness to pass such motions. It's meaningful that both sides compromised to come to this agreement.

Kim Hyung-dong/ Environment and Labor
Committee (PPP)
Although the two sides are politically strained, we thought it was important to fulfill the minimum level of duties expected of Nat'l Assembly by the people.

Other motions directly affecting people's lives also passed the committee, including an overdue wage prevention act which allows an employee to claim punitive damage compensation from an employer that's repeatedly late with wage payment.

The two sides plan to pass these motions at the plenary session on September 26th at the earliest.

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