South Korean 'superdads' on paternity leave break with tradition

It'saweekdaymorningandChungSang-hoon,34,isathomewithhistwosmallchildren,classicalmusicplayinginthebackground.

FatherslikeChung,whohastakenayearofpaternityleavefromhisjobinsaleswithabigforeigncompany,wereoncesorareinmale-dominatedSouthKoreathattheyarecalled"superdads".Buttheirranksaregrowing.

"Everythingisdefinitelyworthit,frompreparingbreakfastforthekidstodoingthedishes,becauseIcanliveforthesakeofvaluesIfindimportant,"saidChung,whosewifeisateacher.

SouthKoreanwomenhavelongbelievedemployerspunishthemwithlowerwagesandbypassingoverthemforpromotionsbecausethey'relikelytotaketimeofftohavechildren.

ThatconcernamongwomenhascontributedtothelowestbirthrateamongcountriesintheOECDgroupofrichnations.

SouthKoreaalsoranks115thof145intheWorldEconomicForum'sgenderequalityindex.

PresidentParkGeun-hyehasmadepaternityleaveaprioritytoaddressthedecliningbirthrateandgiveaboosttowomen'scareers,andthismonthsheunveiledamulti-billionplantocombatthegrimdemographicoutlook.

Eventhoughmothersandfathersareentitledtoequalamountsofchildcareleave,just3,421mentookadvantageoftherightin2014.Still,thatwasdoublethe1,790in2012whoputdownthelaptopstopickupthechildrenonafull-timebasis,accordingtothelaborministry.

"Theentireeconomyisoutofbalance,"NaYeong-don,aseniorlaborministryofficial,toldReuters.

"Womenarehighlyeducatedandworkefficientlybuttakethewholeburdenofhouseholdchoresandchildcarewhilemenworkverylonghours."

LONGHOURS

Inthefirsthalfofthisyear,thenumberofpaternityleave-takerssurged40percentto2,212,butmenstillmadeupjust5percentoftheparentstakingleaveinconservativeSouthKorea.

Thegovernmenthassetagoalofincreasingtheratioofmentakingleaveto30percentby2030,changingacultureinacountrywheremenarenotoriouslyalooffromchild-rearingandhousework.

Realitytelevisionshowssuchas"ReturnofSuperman"featuringmalecelebritiestakingcareoftheirchildrenarecreditedwithhelpinglurefathersintobeingmorehands-on.

Thegovernmentplanincludesexpandingincentivesforstay-at-homedadsandstrengtheningfinancialsupportforsmall-andmedium-sizedenterprisesinexchangeforlettingmentakeparentalleave.

Butitremainstobeseehowmuchsuchincentiveswillhelpchangethinkinginademanding,top-down,male-drivenworkplaceculturethatincludesafter-workdrinkingsessions.

"Thecultureoflongworkhoursneedstobeimprovedsoastoallowmoretimeformentogetinvolvedwithchildcareandfamily,"saidHongSeung-ah,afellowattheKoreanWomen'sDevelopmentInstituteinSeoul.

TheKoreanWomen'sDevelopmentInstitutefoundthat64percentofmenwerewillingtotakepaternityleavebutonly2percenthaddoneso.

Chungsaidhismanagerneededconvincingashedidnothaveasickchildorotheremergencyathome.Hispaternityleavewasthefirstinhis100-personoffice.

AthomeinSeoul,Chunghelpshiskidsputontheirsocksbeforeheadingtoaday-carecenter,andcomfortshiscryingtwo-yearoldafterhisbigsisterrefusestoshareatoy.

Chungappreciateshowdifferentthisistothehomehegrewupin.

"ThereasonItookchildcareleaveisIwanttobedifferentfrommyfather'sgeneration,"hesaid.