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Gov't to raise cap on maternity leave benefits after minimum wage increase

Published: 10 Dec. 2025, 16:04

Newborns rest in the neonatal unit at CHA Ilsan Medical Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 27. [NEWS1]

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Wednesday that it would raise the monthly cap on government-funded maternity leave benefits to 2.2 million won ($1,500) in 2026, up from 2.1 million won, after next year's minimum-wage increase threatened to push the benefit floor above the ceiling.

The ministry released a draft revision for public comment on the same day.

Currently, workers enrolled in employment insurance can take up to 90 days of maternity leave. The entitlement rises to 100 days for premature births and to 120 days for multiple births.

At large companies, employers must pay full wages for at least 60 days of leave, or 75 days for multiple births. The government subsidizes part of the remaining leave to limit income losses tied to childbirth and child care. It also sets a monthly cap on that subsidy based on factors that include regular wages and the minimum wage.

At small and medium-sized firms, workers receive government support for the full 90 days.

The cap on support currently stands at 2.1 million won a month, but this will increase to 2.2 million from 2026.

The Labor Ministry said the change follows the increase in next year’s minimum wage to 10,320 won an hour. The increase raises the monthly benefits floor to 2.16 million won. Under the current rules, the monthly cap stands at 2.1 million won. That mismatch could have left some workers with a legal minimum higher than the maximum they could receive.

This marks the first increase in three years, following a rise from 2 million to 2.1 million won in 2023.

However, experts said the problem could return. They noted that the minimum wage rises most years, while benefit caps change less often. They called for broader reforms to keep the system from falling out of alignment again.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]