{
  "id": 8579501,
  "title": "Parental leave benefits for foreign workers double last year",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/parental-leave-benefits-for-foreign-workers-double-last-year",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-20T01:20:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260920000500315"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul, September 20 - The South Korean government's expenditure on parental leave benefits for foreign workers more than doubled last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The total payments rose to 36.45 billion won, up from 18.15 billion won in the previous year, while the number of recipients climbed by more than half, reaching 2,031 from 1,354.\n\nAs of July, 1,476 foreign nationals had already received 26.71 billion won in benefits, marking an increase in the country's foreign workforce's support for parental leave. Foreign nationals accounted for 1.2 percent of all recipients, up from 1.1 percent the prior year and a mere 1 percent two years earlier.\n\nEthnic Korean Chinese workers received the most assistance, with 1,154 recipients sharing 22.56 billion won. Vietnamese workers followed with 895 recipients and 12.87 billion won, while Chinese nationals comprised 652 recipients and 11.54 billion won, Americans had 366 recipients and 5.78 billion won, Japanese had 261 recipients and 4.99 billion won, and Canadians had 177 recipients and 3.08 billion won.\n\nAccording to Rep. Park Soo-min of the People Power Party, the increasing number of foreign families in South Korea necessitates more intricate and tailored policies regarding parental leave benefits.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Parental leave benefits paid to foreign workers in S...",
  "key_points": [
    "Number of recipients increased by more than half, reaching 2,031 from 1,354.",
    "Ethnic Korean Chinese workers received the most assistance with 1,154 recipients."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The surge in parental leave benefits for foreign workers signals a shift in South Korea's approach to supporting its growing foreign workforce and their families.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}