Time Allocation of Working Mothers with Preschool Children: Juggling Time between Work and Care

Mothers’ labor market participation has increased significantly in Korea. This article explores how working mothers in Korea with children under the age of six allocate their time in order to spend time with children, and what substitutes they rely on when they are unable to provide childcare. Mothers who participate in the labor market have begun to narrow the gap in child-care time between themselves and mothers who are full-time homemakers; they often compensate for insufficient care time during the week by increasing care time on weekends and increasing the quality of time spent with their children. Substitute caregivers include grandparents and, to a much lesser extent, fathers, but the burden of childcare has not been effectively shared within the family, and working mothers continue to face significant time pressure.