Women Work Even with Children: Employment Rate of Working Mothers Hits New High

The employment rate of married women with children under 18 years old recorded the highest level since statistics began during the first half of this year, showing that the labor market exit of married women has notably decreased. The number of women with career interruptions has also fallen to the lowest level, leading to analysis that more women are working even after having children.

According to a survey on the employment status of married women in the first half of 2025 released by the National Data Office on Nov. 20, the career interruption rate of married women (aged 15-54) living with minor children during the first half of this year was 21.3%, down 1.4 percentage points from last year. This represents the lowest level since related statistics began in 2014. Women with career interruptions refer to unemployed women who left their jobs due to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and other reasons. Additionally, including cases where women do not live with children or have no children, the total number of women with career interruptions among all married women aged 15-54 was 1.105 million, a decrease of 110,000 from the previous year. The rate of women with career interruptions also fell 1.0 percentage point year-on-year to 14.9%, showing both the number and rate of women with career interruptions at their lowest levels since 2014.

An official from the National Data Office explained, “The expansion of government policy support for childcare, childbirth, and care appears to have contributed comprehensively,” adding, “The expansion of childcare services and policies to increase labor market participation are leading to actual numerical improvements.”

By age group, the largest number of women with career interruptions was in the 40-44 age group with 305,000, followed by the 35-39 age group with 234,000 and the 45-49 age group with 196,000. However, in terms of the rate of women with career interruptions, the 30-34 age group (21.8%) was the highest, indicating that the risk of career exit remains high for women in their early 30s who intensively experience childbirth and childcare.

Furthermore, the employment rate of married women aged 15-54 was calculated at 67.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from the previous year. Particularly, the employment rate of married women living with children under 18 was 64.3%, up 1.9 percentage points from last year. This means that more than 6 out of 10 women with minor children are working outside the home to earn money. Accordingly, the employment rate of married women reached a record high since related statistics began in 2016. The National Data Office explained that while the number of married women decreased by 251,000 due to declining marriages, the increase in the number of employed women led to an increase in the employment rate.

Particularly, the employment rate of married women improved year-on-year across all child age groups regardless of the number of children. Notably, the employment rate of married women with children aged 6 and under, considered the period when women face the highest risk of career interruption, rose 2.1 percentage points to 57.7% from the previous year (55.6%). The employment rates of married women with children aged 7-12 and 13-17 increased by 1.8 percentage points and 1.2 percentage points, respectively. For the 13-17 age group, the employment rate of married women exceeded 70% for the first time.

However, the risk of career interruption increased as the number of children grew. The number of women with career interruptions by child age group was 461,000 for children aged 6 and under, 292,000 for ages 7-12, and 133,000 for ages 13-17. For those with children aged 6 and under, the career interruption rate was highest at 31.6%, while it was 18.7% for ages 7-12 and 11.8% for ages 13-17. An official from the National Data Office explained, “The risk of women’s labor market exit was greater during periods of caring for infants and toddlers.”

Meanwhile, childcare accounted for 44.3% of the reasons for career interruptions among married women, still representing the absolute majority. Marriage (24.2%), pregnancy and childbirth (22.1%), and family care (5.1%) followed. Particularly for women with career interruptions aged 30-39, the proportions of childcare (48.5%) and pregnancy and childbirth (27.5%) were very high, leading to analysis that the structure where care responsibilities are concentrated on women has not been completely improved.

Amid this, the rate of male parental leave continues to increase. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that male recipients of parental leave benefits numbered 52,279 from January to September this year, accounting for 36.8% of total recipients.