Ministries of Health and Welfare, Employment and Labor present policies

Companies share family-friendly workplace initiatives

Participants pose for a group photo at the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea's Family-Friendly Future Forum, held Wednesday at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. [ECCK]
Participants pose for a group photo at the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea's Family-Friendly Future Forum, held Wednesday at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. [ECCK]

The European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) hosted its Family-Friendly Future Forum on Wednesday at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, bringing together businesses, government officials and academics to explore solutions to South Korea's low birth rate crisis.

Launched in November 2024, the Family-Friendly Future Forum aims to promote sustainable corporate management and social responsibility through work-life balance, in response to South Korea's low birth rate and aging population challenges.

This year's forum centered on the theme "Family as a Key to Corporate Success: Strengthening Public-Private Cooperation to Support Pregnancy and Childbirth in Response to the Low Birth Rate." Companies, government representatives, medical professionals and other key stakeholders gathered to discuss practical measures to support working parents and strengthen work-life balance.

Marietta Jimenez, senior vice president and core markets head at Merck Healthcare, one of the forum's co-chairs, said in her opening remarks that creating a family-friendly workplace culture is not simply a matter of welfare — it is a core success factor that drives sustainable corporate growth and innovation. She added that overcoming South Korea's low birth rate and aging crisis requires not only government policy efforts but also active participation from the private sector.

Representing government agencies, Choi Young-jun, director of the birth policy division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, introduced South Korea's infertility support policies designed to address the rise in late-age pregnancies and growing demand for fertility treatment. Park Jeong-hyeon, director of the employment culture improvement policy division at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, then presented on changes to the employment environment and policy regime related to demographic challenges, including pregnancy and childbirth support.

On the corporate side, Edmund Shung, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Korea, and Jung Hyun-jin, executive vice president at Bayer Korea, shared their companies' parental support programs aimed at helping employees balance work and family life.

A panel discussion that followed focused on expanding infertility treatment support, creating pregnancy- and childbirth-friendly work environments, increasing fathers' involvement in childcare, and strengthening childcare support for working women.

In his closing remarks, Stefan Ernst, secretary general of the ECCK, said he hopes Wednesday's discussions will translate into concrete action toward a sustainable future for Korean society, and that the ECCK intends to collaborate not only with its member companies but also with a wide range of domestic and international businesses and stakeholders.


joze@heraldcorp.com