South Korea to support working moms to raise employment rate

South Korea planned to support working mothers through diverse programs devised in accordance with women's life cycle as part of efforts to raise hiring rate to 70 percent, the women's ministry said Tuesday. Women, especially in their 30s, have shown a low employment rate compared with men due to heavy burden for childbirth and childcare as well as difficulties in reemployment after the maternity leave, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The hiring rate of men in their 30s was 90.2 percent in 2013, but the rate for women of the same age group was much lower at 56. 7 percent last year. South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed in her New Year's initiative to help women not experience career discontinuity due to childbirth and childcare, saying that higher employment of women will be crucial to achieve the 70 percent hiring rate. The employment rate was 64.4 percent in 2013. Programs to support women's participation in economic activities were drawn up in line with women's life cycle, from pregnancy to childbirth, child-rearing, reemployment and childcare at workplaces. To help women's pregnancy and childbirth, paternity leave will be encouraged and male workers will be provided with regular pay during the leave for the second child. Shortening working hours for childcare will be boosted, and during the shorter working period, wages paid will be raised to 60 percent of regular pay from the current 40 percent. To support child-rearing, the government will construct more public childcare centers and encourage companies to build their own nurseries at workplaces, while helping provide more childcare services in the private sector. To enhance reemployment of women after the maternity leave, the government will expand flexible jobs, in which women can choose working hours, while providing vocation educations.