Impact of Telecommuting on Division of Housework and Childcare in Dual-Earner Households : Case Studies of Japan and Korea

This study examined the determinants of the division of housework and childcare among married couples with children in Japanese and South Korean dual-earner households. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using purposive sampling to explore cases involving different working conditions. Participants were four wives from four households in Japan (wives provided data for their husbands), and two married couples from two households in South Korea, and all were raising young children. The interviews were conducted from October 8 to November 3, 2022, in Japan and on February 17, 2023, in South Korea. The case studies revealed that the introduction of telecommuting from home resulted in husbands having more spare time, and then actively participating more in housework and childcare activities without the fear of being negatively judged by others. This has led couples to make the "rational choice" that it is more reasonable to share housework and childcare depending on the situation.