Chung So-yool (C) and Chung Young-joon play with their father at their apartment in Seoul, South Korea, December 16, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

"The culture of long work hours needs to be improved so as to allow more time for men to get involved with childcare and family," said Hong Seung-ah, a fellow at the Korean Women's Development Institute in Seoul.

The Korean Women's Development Institute found that 64 percent of men were willing to take paternity leave but only 2 percent had done so.

Chung said his manager needed convincing as he did not have a sick child or other emergency at home. His paternity leave was the first in his 100-person office.

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