Korean men may be able to take up to five days off from work for paternity leave from now on.
And three days of the five-day period would be paid.
Cabinet members cast a vote Tuesday on a revision to the legislation for supporting work and family life at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik.
Under the revision, employers cannot reject employees' legitimate requests for a leave of absence if they have to attend to the needs of their family.
This is the latest in a line of government policies aimed at boosting the country's birthrate, which is one of the lowest in the world, and to help people better reconcile work and family life.
Korea's birthrate was about 1.2 children per woman through 2010, one of the lowest in the world and also well below the average birthrate in OECD nations.
Meanwhile, the ruling Grand National Party has also proposed expanding the pool eligible for financial childcare support, which it says will be discussed further in a special consultative budgetary meeting with the government this Thursday.
The proposal aims to give everyone in the low 50th percentile income bracket monthly aid for home childcare until the age of 2.
Kim Yeon-ji, Arirang News.