Lotte Department Store announced on the 4th that it will expand the automatic parental leave period for Namsung to three months from one month, becoming the first large corporation in the country to do so.
Starting from Feb. 23, the legal parental leave period will be extended from one year to one year and six months, prompting proactive reforms to the parental leave system.
The automatic parental leave program for Namsung, which began at Lotte Group in 2017 as the first among large corporations, requires employees to take a mandatory leave of one month when their spouse gives birth. The number of employees utilizing the automatic parental leave system has reached 501 from 2017 through last year, achieving a usage rate of 100%.
Female employees with children under the age of 12 will be able to take a maximum of four years and six months of parental leave, including maternity leave and vacation. The legal revision reflects the change in the eligibility age for reduced working hours for childcare from 8 years (second grade of elementary school) to 12 years (sixth grade of elementary school).
Lotte Department Store also introduced a business innovation plan to minimize the burden of using parental leave. To minimize the work vacuum in the relevant departments during the automatic parental leave period for Namsung employees, the company will pay up to 600,000 won for three months to new hires or employees covering the duties.
Lotte Department Store operates various childcare support programs in addition to parental leave. Examples include "Our Child's First Step Leave," which provides two days of paid leave when children enroll in daycare or kindergarten, "Expectant Father Antenatal Examination Leave" for Namsung employees to accompany their spouses during prenatal check-ups, and support for a two-day, one-night trip to affiliated resorts for prenatal education.
Through these efforts, Lotte Department Store has received several recognitions, including six consecutive certifications as a family-friendly company, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Minister's Award at the Asia Gender Equality Index Awards (2023), selection as the best family-friendly corporation by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (2024), and the Presidential Commendation for Gender Employment Equality by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (2024).
Jeong Jun-ho, CEO of Lotte Department Store, noted, "Balancing work and family is the most important theme that corporations must strive for," and stated, "We plan to continue creating a desirable workplace with innovative childcare support policies."