Children are seen playing in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, as South Korea's Cabinet approved a bill to provide government subsidies to employees who take on the responsibilities of coworkers working reduced hours for child care. Effective from July 1, the revised bill will compensate employees who cover for parents leaving work early for child care purposes, aiming to alleviate the burden on both enterprises and workers. The amendment also extends the eligibility for full salary to parents working two hours fewer than regular working hours, as opposed to the previous allowance of only one hour less, with a 20 percent wage cut for those who reduced their daily hours by two. The policy, which applies to parents with children aged 8 or younger, seeks to address South Korea's historically low birth rate, which hit a record low of 0.72 in 2023. President Yoon Suk Yeol has indicated plans to establish a new ministry and senior presidential secretary post to tackle the population crisis caused by the declining birth rate. This move reflects the government's efforts to support working parents and encourage a higher birth rate in the country.