Liberty Korea Party Announces "Safe Childcare Pledge," Calls for Government Oversight of Private Babysitters Amid Wuhan Pneumonia Outbreak

On the 7th, the Lotte Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection visited, will temporarily close until the 9th. Customers are leaving the department store upon hearing the closure news. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy, reporter Lee Jieun] On February 9, the Liberty Korea Party announced its "Safe Childcare Pledge" in response to the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak, aiming to address the difficulties dual-income families face in caring for their children due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia).

The party's "2020 Hope Pledge Development Team with the People" stated, "Due to the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak, closures of daycare centers and schools are continuing, causing many dual-income families to struggle with childcare."

For families who individually hire caregivers, it is difficult to check whether these caregivers have recently visited China. In addition, under current laws, there is no government ministry responsible for supervising private babysitters, leaving a blind spot in quarantine management.

In response, the Liberty Korea Party called on the government to investigate the travel history to China and potential infection risks not only for government-supported caregivers under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family but also for private babysitters employed through private agencies and job placement centers. To this end, the party plans to push for an amendment to the Childcare Support Act to introduce a "Private Babysitter Registration System" (tentative name), which would allow the government to exercise at least a minimum level of oversight over private babysitters.

The party also announced its intention to amend the "Act on Gender Equal Employment and Support for Work-Family Reconciliation" to introduce an emergency paid childcare leave system for dual-income families during national disasters such as the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.