{
  "id": 15565322,
  "title": "Fathers take on more, but mothers still bear heavier domestic workload",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/fathers-take-on-more-but-mothers-still-bear-heavier-domestic-workload",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T05:42:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/banking-finance/20261019/fathers-take-on-more-but-mothers-still-bear-heavier-domestic-workload"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, a 33-year-old bank employee named Mrs. Jung experiences the feeling of a second job after clocking out of her 9-to-5. She utilizes a reduced working hours program for parents and departs from work an hour or two early. Once her mother-in-law returns home to care for their 3-year-old son, Jung assumes sole responsibility for childcare until her husband arrives. \"As soon as I get home, I feed my son dinner, bathe him and play with him. By then, my husband is home,\" she explained. \"While he entertains our son, I finally get to shower, wash the dishes and tidy up. Then it's time to put our son to bed.\" Mrs. Jung only gets a brief respite when her son finally drifts off to sleep past 10 p.m. \"Even though I leave work early, it feels like I work overtime every day,\" she lamented. \"My husband contributes significantly to child care, but our son seems to prefer me. I sense that a larger portion of household chores naturally falls to me.\" Government statistics revealed on Monday indicate that an unequal distribution of domestic tasks prevails among young working parents.",
  "summary": "For a 33-year-old bank employee surnamed Jung raising a 3-year-old son in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo District, coming home from work feels like starting a second shift. She uses a reduced working hours program for parents to leave work an hour or two early. Once her mother-in-law, who looks after the child while the couple are at work, heads home, Jung handles child care alone until her husband…",
  "key_points": [
    "Mrs. Jung experiences second job-like duties post-work due to early childcare responsibilities.",
    "Husband contributes significantly to childcare but son prefers Mrs. Jung.",
    "Government stats show unequal domestic task distribution among young working parents."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Increased paternal involvement fails to bridge the domestic gap, leaving working mothers to shoulder a disproportionate amount of household labor and childcare even when utilizing flexible work programs.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Fathers take on more, but mothers still bear heavier domestic workload",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/fathers-take-on-more-but-mothers-still-bear-heavier-domestic-workload-15568929",
        "published": "2026-10-19T06:12:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}