Male civil servants with newborns may be given an hour off their work day to attend to their children in a move to raise the country’s low birthrate and time spent with family, government officials said Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security’s 2012 plan, officials are discussing the feasibility of expanding the current measure which allows female civil servants with an infant an hour off their day to include fathers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has also run a similar program since last year, allowing expecting mothers who work for the capital special vacation time of an extra hour off their workday.

The ministry plans to recommend that government branches increase last year’s female employment rate in management positions from 9.7 percent by one percent every year till 2016.

The plan also includes an increase in the number of off-duty days given to mourn family members and close relatives.

Officials will now be able to take five days off when their spouse or child passes away, which is up from two, and three days in the event of a grandparent’s death.

The ministry is also considering the possibility of designating lanes for cyclists where motorized vehicles may not enter. 



By Robert Lee
(robert@heraldcorp.com)