No One to Care for Kids Without 'Eommachance'... New Coronavirus Childcare Crisis

Taking Annual Leave or Asking Parents for Help
Mothers with Multiple Children Face 'Sole Parenting'

Working Moms Sending Kids to Daycare
"Worried About Infection and Feeling Guilty"

A parent helping their child attend kindergarten in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. Not directly related to the article content. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yoo Byung-don, Jung Dong-hoon Reporters] Lee Ji-hyun (39, female), an office worker living in Mullae-dong, Seoul, took two days of annual leave starting from the 10th. This was because GS Home Shopping, where the 20th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) worked, had been closed since the 6th, making it impossible to send her two children to nearby daycare centers in Mullae-dong. She hurriedly called her mother living in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do. However, since her mother had to return home on the weekend, she ultimately decided to use her annual leave. Lee said, "Due to the news about GS Home Shopping last week, most home daycare centers have closed, and even in public daycare centers that have not closed, we cannot send our children due to concerns about the novel coronavirus infection," adding, "I am worried because I will have to send my two children to daycare again when I return to work on Wednesday."

As concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus grow, working moms are struggling with childcare difficulties. Daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary to high schools in areas where confirmed cases reside or have visited have closed, leaving no suitable place to leave their children. Those who can take annual leave from work to care for their children are considered lucky. On the other hand, many dual-income couples have no choice but to send their children to daycare centers and worry about the risk of infection.

Currently, decisions about closing childcare facilities related to the novel coronavirus are made independently by local governments. In Siheung City, where three confirmed cases suspected of family infection were reported on the 9th, all daycare centers and kindergartens in the city were ordered to close from that day until the 16th. However, children from dual-income families are allowed to attend daycare centers. Park Kyung-mi (37, female), living in Sincheon-dong, Siheung City, said, "With the announcement of the closure of all daycare centers in Siheung City starting today, there is chaos around," adding, "In this situation, I feel uneasy about leaving my child in a daycare center where many people gather."

Working moms who have no choice but to leave their children at childcare facilities are suffering from guilt. All they can do is pray that their children do not get infected with the novel coronavirus and wait for the end of the workday. Kim Sun-yi (39, female, Sinjeong-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul) said, "Neither my husband nor I can take annual leave, so I brought my child to the workplace daycare center," adding, "Last week, a suspected patient appeared in the company, causing a huge commotion, but there is no other way to leave my child."

Especially mothers with multiple children are struggling with full-day solo childcare. Yoon Ji (30, female, Songdo, Incheon), mother of two, has seen her childcare burden double as the daycare center her eldest child attended closed. Since confirmed cases appeared in Songdo on the 6th, daycare centers have been closed until the 16th, leaving her to handle childcare for over ten days. Yoon said, "The children are stuck at home and bored, but due to the risk of infection, I cannot take them to places like kids' cafes, so I am stuck in a difficult situation."

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