Starting in July, male public officials will be able to take a vacation of up to 10 days to accompany their pregnant wives to medical checkups. Until now, female public officials could take vacation for pregnancy checkups within a range of 10 days, while male public officials had to use annual leave to accompany their wives.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 10th that it would legislatively announce an amendment to the 'Regulations on the Duty of Local Public Officials' containing this content. On the same day, the Ministry of Personnel Management also announced a legislative proposal for an amendment to the 'Regulations on the Duty of National Public Officials' that includes the same content.
This amendment to the public officials' duty regulations includes provisions for special leave for male public officials accompanying their pregnant spouses for medical checkups. It states that male public officials will be granted vacation of up to 10 days to accompany their pregnant wives to the hospital for checkups.
Currently, female public officials can take vacation for medical checkups during their pregnancy for up to 10 days. However, male public officials have had to utilize early leave, annual leave, and other options to accompany their pregnant wives.
The government believes that this amendment will create conditions for male public officials to actively participate in care starting from the pregnancy period.
Additionally, measures will be put in place to ensure the use of maternal protection time for pregnant public officials. Maternal protection time is a system that allows pregnant female public officials to rest for up to 2 hours a day or receive medical treatment.
Currently, in order to utilize this, the user must apply, and the approval is determined based on the judgment of the approving authority. In the future, if a female public official within 12 weeks of pregnancy or after 32 weeks applies for this, it will be mandatory to allow it.