Kim, a 33-year-old mother working for a big Korean business, took a six-month maternity leave two years ago after giving birth to his son. Her boss openly gave a look of displeasure, saying, “Three months is long enough [for maternity leave], don’t you think?” She managed to go on a maternity leave, but she was then faced with another major challenge: Going back to work. All three child care centers nearby her place had more than 400 children on their waiting lists; it was only at the very last minute that she had the luck of finding a slot in a child care center far away from home. Since returning to work, Kim has been left out of promotion twice so far. “Whenever I send my ill and feverish child to the child care center, I want so badly to quit my job. My biggest wish is to have an employer that frees me from childrearing concerns. How can I focus on my work when I am worried about my children?”
(Full text only available in Korean)