South Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor parental leave pay: up to 2.5M KRW/mo (months 1–3) and up to 4.5M KRW/mo under the 6+6 program (months 1–6 with both parents). Max 39M KRW per child
| Period | Rate | Monthly cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Months 1–3 | 100% of ordinary wage | 2,500,000 KRW | Cap raised in 2026 |
| Months 4–6 | 100% of ordinary wage | 2,000,000 KRW | - |
| Months 7–12 | 80% of ordinary wage | 1,600,000 KRW | Floor 700,000 KRW |
| Post-return bonus | 25% of paid amount | Paid after 6 months of return | Forfeited on early exit |
| Month | Cap per parent | Combined same-month cap |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 2,000,000 KRW | 4,000,000 KRW |
| Month 2 | 2,500,000 KRW | 5,000,000 KRW |
| Month 3 | 3,000,000 KRW | 6,000,000 KRW |
| Month 4 | 3,500,000 KRW | 7,000,000 KRW |
| Month 5 | 4,000,000 KRW | 8,000,000 KRW |
| Month 6 | 4,500,000 KRW | 9,000,000 KRW |
| Months 1–6 per parent (max) | 19,500,000 KRW | - |
| Combined max (6+6) | - | 39,000,000 KRW |
| Child | Korean child ≤ age 8 or through elementary grade 2 (6+6: ≤ 18 months old) |
| Worker | Korean employee with ≥ 180 days in the Korean Employment Insurance |
| Employer | Parental leave must be granted by the Korean employer (statutory right) |
| Filing window | From 1 month after leave start, up to 12 months after leave ends |
| Payment cycle | Monthly review and deposit by the Korean Employment Insurance |
| 6+6 Dual-Parent Program | If both parents take leave within 18 months of birth — first 6 months capped at up to 4.5M KRW/mo |
| Single-parent surcharge | First 3 months capped at 3M KRW (+ 500k vs. standard 2.5M) |
| Reduced working hours for childcare | 5–25 hr/wk reduction with Korean compensation for lost wages |
| Spousal maternity leave | 20 paid days; Korean Employment Insurance funds 10 days (2026 expansion) |
Always confirm the latest caps and forms with Korea's official sources below.
This page summarises public information from South Korea's Ministry of Employment & Labor, Employment Insurance, and Work24 as of April 2026. Caps, post-return bonuses, and 6+6 tiers change per annual Korean notice. Individual payouts depend on the worker's Korean ordinary wage, insurance period, birth date, and employer certification. Calculator outputs are reference-only with no legal effect — final payments follow the screening of the Korean Employment Insurance. Residents of the Republic of Korea only; always verify with Work24 or a Korean employment center.
Korea's Parental Leave Pay is a South Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor benefit that replaces part of a Korean worker's ordinary wage while they take leave to care for a child up to age 8 (or through elementary grade 2). For 2026, months 1–3 are capped at 2,500,000 KRW/month, months 4–6 at 2,000,000 KRW, and months 7–12 at 1,600,000 KRW, with a 25% post-return bonus paid after 6 months back at work. The 6+6 Dual-Parent Program applies when both Korean parents take leave within 18 months of the child's birth: the monthly cap rises in 500,000 KRW steps from 2,000,000 (month 1) to 4,500,000 KRW (month 6), yielding up to 19,500,000 KRW per parent and 39,000,000 KRW combined over the first six months. Apply on Korea's Work24 (work24.go.kr) starting one month after your leave begins; you need ≥ 180 days in the Korean Employment Insurance and your Korean employer's confirmation.
No — sequential use also qualifies. As long as the second Korean parent starts parental leave within 18 months of the child's birth, the 6+6 tier applies to their first 6 months.
Each Korean spouse must meet the 180-day Employment Insurance threshold, obtain their Korean employer's confirmation, and start parental leave within 18 months of birth. Sequential use is allowed.
It's paid as a lump sum after 6 months of continuous work at the same Korean employer. Voluntary separation forfeits the bonus; involuntary separation is reviewed case-by-case.
Currently only Korean Employment Insurance members qualify, but coverage is expanding to artists, special-form workers, and voluntary-insured self-employed in 2025–2026. Confirm via Work24 or 1350.
Each Korean parent can take up to 1 year per child (split into up to 3 segments); combined, a family can take up to 2 years. The 6+6 bonus applies only to the first 6 months.
Spousal maternity leave is a 20-day short paid leave immediately after birth (Korean Employment Insurance covers 10 days of pay); parental leave is a longer childcare leave (up to 1 year). They can be used separately.
South Korea's 2026 Parental Leave Pay, administered by the Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor via the Employment Insurance, replaces 80–100% of a Korean worker's ordinary wage (within monthly caps) during leave to care for a child up to age 8. Regular leave caps are 2.5M KRW/month (months 1–3), 2.0M KRW (4–6), and 1.6M KRW (7–12), with 25% of the total paid as a post-return bonus after 6 months of continuous Korean employment. The 6+6 Dual-Parent Program pays enhanced monthly caps of 2.0 → 2.5 → 3.0 → 3.5 → 4.0 → 4.5 million KRW over the first 6 months when both Korean parents take leave within 18 months of birth, for up to 19.5M KRW per parent and 39M KRW combined. Apply on Korea's Work24 (work24.go.kr) starting one month after leave begins; you need ≥ 180 days in the Korean Employment Insurance and employer confirmation. Single-parent surcharge raises the first-3-month cap to 3M KRW; reduced-hours-for-childcare and the 20-day spousal maternity leave (with 10 days paid by Korean Employment Insurance) are also available. Hotlines: Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor 1350, Work24 1577-7114. Applies to residents of the Republic of Korea only.