"Business owners don't benefit even if they're pregnant"...a blind spot for female entrepreneurs

[Anchor]
For working women, the government's pregnancy and childbirth support system is an important prop.

However, women who run businesses sometimes do not receive any support even if they are pregnant or give birth, so there are voices that say that blind spots need to be supplemented.

Reporter Shin Gwi-hye reports.

[Reporter]
Mr. Lee, who runs a social enterprise with three employees.

Not long ago, I found out about the pregnancy and looked into the pre-birth support system, but I was greatly disappointed.

Because I didn't have the support I could get because I was an employer, not an employee.

[Like this/ Corporate CEO, 8th week of pregnancy: I asked about employment insurance, women's companies, social companies, etc.] If you have employment insurance and have employees, it is difficult to apply....]

Under the current law, female workers with employment insurance can receive maternity leave and benefits, and if they are not covered by employment insurance, they can receive support through separate applications, but female businessmen are in a different situation.

In the case of single-person companies, assistants and maternity benefits are provided, but if you operate a business with two or more employees, there is no support system even if you are about to give birth.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced a plan to promote the revitalization of women's companies at the end of 2020, aiming to expand the scope of maternity benefits, but the blind spot remains.

[Like this/ Corporate CEO, 8th week of pregnancy: Even if you have employees and employment insurance, you can't say that the business is a huge surplus, and they're all the same small business owners. I want you to look back on the whole policy a little bit more, not just financial support....]

Experts also point out that the government should go beyond encouraging young entrepreneurship and improve it if there is an environment that makes entrepreneurs hesitate according to gender.

[Kim Na-young / Researcher at Childcare Policy Research Institute: The scope of support needs to be expanded from supporting female workers to supporting female participants in economic activities. Young people can think positively about giving birth or pregnancy only when they can receive a signal that sufficient support is provided..]

The number of companies run by female entrepreneurs has steadily increased, exceeding 3 million in 2021, and more than 600,000 companies, excluding single-person companies.

There seems to be a need for support to help female entrepreneurs work without worrying about childbirth and childcare and continue to create jobs.

I'm YTN's Shin Gwihye.

Reporter for shooting
: Kwon Seok-jae
Design: Lee Na-eun