'Normal Operation' Focused Inspection of Academies and Classrooms... Emergency Care Extended Until 7 PM

Only 42% Closed Despite Government Recommendation... List of Academies with COVID-19 Cases Disclosed
Correction Demanded for Workplaces Not Applying Family Care Leave... Fines Up to 5 Million Won

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is speaking at an on-site meeting related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) held on the 13th of last month at the 600th Anniversary Hall of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Despite concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the government is launching joint inspections with education offices and local governments on private academies and tutoring centers that are operating normally. Emergency care hours at kindergartens and elementary schools, currently operating until 5 p.m., will be extended until 7 p.m., and companies that do not allow the 'family care leave system' will be fined up to 5 million won.

On the morning of the 6th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye held the 2nd Social Relations Ministers' Meeting for the Realization of an Inclusive Nation at the Government Seoul Office to discuss follow-up measures after the school reopening delay, including these details.

First, despite the recommendation of 'social distancing' during the second week of March, when all schools nationwide postponed reopening due to concerns over COVID-19 spread, a joint intensive inspection will be conducted on academies that continue to operate, involving the Ministry of Education, education offices, local governments, and related agencies.

According to the Ministry of Education's investigation, as of the 5th, only 42.1% (36,424 out of 86,435) of academies nationwide have closed, which is less than half. Among 40,437 tutoring centers, only 45.7% (18,491 centers) have shut their doors.

The government plans to focus inspections on large academies regarding multi-use facility guidelines, facility disinfection status, academy operations, and compliance with fire safety-related laws. In cooperation with local governments, it will also promote the disclosure of the names of academies where confirmed cases have occurred.

At the same time, measures to support the business stability of academies facing difficulties such as financial hardship will be prepared. In collaboration with commercial banks and the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, a special guarantee product called 'Safety-First Academies' will be developed targeting academies that actively participate in temporary closures.

Related ministries will jointly support academies affected by COVID-19 business losses to actively utilize small business management stabilization funds and ultra-low interest loans for small business owners from the Industrial Bank of Korea. Additionally, policies such as employment retention subsidies will be collaboratively and tailor-made to guide academies that maintain employment without reducing workers during the closure period.

The government will also discuss measures to provide seamless emergency care during the school reopening delay period. To alleviate the childcare burden on households raising children at home, approximately 2.63 million children eligible for child allowances will receive an additional 400,000 won worth of local love gift certificates or Onnuri gift certificates over four months.

Furthermore, considering the working hours of dual-income families, the care hours at kindergartens and elementary schools, currently operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be extended until 7 p.m. as a principle, and lunch will be provided to students participating in emergency care.

Daycare centers will provide emergency childcare from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and local community care centers, youth after-school academies, and community child centers will also provide care for more than eight hours a day, including essential operating hours.

For workers who wish to directly care for their children at home, support will be provided to actively use the family care leave system. Companies that allow the use of family care leave will receive additional points when selected as 'Excellent Work Innovation Companies' and 'Excellent Gender Employment Equality Companies.' Conversely, companies where leave use is difficult can be reported directly by workers. Labor inspectors will guide workplaces reported, and if corrections are not made, fines of up to 5 million won will be imposed.

At the meeting, plans to utilize apartment residents' communal facilities to expand all-day care were also discussed. From now on, 'Community Care Centers' will be mandatorily installed in new apartments with more than 500 households, and requirements for converting existing apartment complex communal facilities into community care facilities will be eased, reducing the resident consent ratio from two-thirds to about half.

For Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) rental complexes with fewer than 500 households, such as newlywed-specialized complexes, care spaces and facilities will be secured by pre-coordinating and finalizing the installation and operation of Community Care Centers with related ministries and local governments from the rental complex development stage.

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