Necessary but Insufficient: Parental Leave and Working Women’s Transition to Parenthood in South Korea

• In Event: Sociology of Population Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 3. Family and Gender

Abstract

Work-life conflict is a significant barrier to childbearing, and the availability of parental leave is a critical factor influencing fertility decisions. While existing research has documented the importance of parental leave for subsequent births, its impact on the transition to parenthood remains less clear. Drawing on data from the 2001–2023 Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS), this study examines the effect of parental leave availability on the likelihood of first childbirth among employed women in South Korea. Results from discrete-time event history models reveal a strong and positive effect of parental leave availability on the likelihood of having a first child among nulliparous working women in Korea. The findings highlight the role of parental leave in facilitating the transition to parenthood and suggest that expanding parental support policies to alleviate work-life conflict may be crucial in addressing low fertility rates.

Author

• Kylie Jaeyun Yim, University of Texas-Austin