(Image:Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, May 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Foreign women who have been engaged in economic activities in South Korea will be entitled to receive maternity benefits once they acquire Korean nationality after giving birth.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on Tuesday that it had reached such judgment in an administrative appeal filed by a foreign woman who had paid various taxes while being engaged in economic activities as a freelancer and acquired Korean nationality after giving birth.
After acquiring Korean nationality, the foreign woman applied to receive maternity benefits from the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
The ministry, however, refused to pay maternity benefits, saying that she was a foreigner at the moment when she gave birth.
Maternity benefits were introduced to protect the livelihood of women who cannot afford to receive maternity leave wage benefits since they are not covered by employment insurance.
If women are engaged in economic activities for more than three months during the period of 18 months before giving birth, they are entitled to receive maternity benefits of 500,000 won (US$444) per month for three months.
The state civil rights body judged that given that the foreign woman acquired Korean nationality after giving birth, it was unfair to refuse to pay maternity benefits simply because she was a foreigner at the moment when she gave birth.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
