Samsung Electronics to offer two-year maternity leave

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it will start a new paid leave system from July, including a two-year maternity leave. 

Under the scheme, the Korean tech giant will extend the length of maternity leave to two years from the current legally-binding one year.

Still, maternity payments will remain the same, as only the first year is to be compensated, the company said.

In Korea, a two-year maternity leave is rarely seen except for some special jobs, such as for flight attendants.

Samsung has bolstered the employment rights of mothers in recent years.

In 2013, the company introduced a treatment leave for infertile couples for up to one year.

The company operates 12 day care centers nationwide, with 2,551 children having benefited from the program last year. 

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)