Oh Se-hoon Expands 'Seoul-style Shared Childcare Centers' to All Districts... Increasing to 400 by 2025

'Seoul City Childcare Mid- to Long-Term Master Plan' 670 Billion Won Invested by 2025... 47 Projects in 4 Major Areas
'Shared Daycare Centers' Expanded to 100 Communities and 400 Centers by 2025
Efforts to Reduce Teacher-to-Child Ratio... City Funding Support for Labor Costs
Daycare Snack Expenses Fully Increased by City Funding in Line with Free Meals in Kindergartens

On the 22nd, Oh Se-hoon, the People Power Party's candidate for Seoul mayor, visited the Seocho 4-dong Community Service Center in Seoul and held a meeting with representatives of Gongyu Daycare Center. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon plans to expand the ‘Seoul-type Shared Childcare Centers’ citywide and develop it into Seoul’s representative childcare brand. The current 58 childcare centers across 14 communities in 8 autonomous districts will be expanded to all districts, aiming to increase the number of childcare centers involving 100 communities to 400 by 2025. Additionally, the proportion of public and national childcare centers will be raised to 50% by 2025, and the ‘Seoul-type Childcare Centers’ that promote publicness in private childcare centers will be expanded to 600 locations.

On the 14th, Mayor Oh announced the ‘Seoul City Mid- to Long-term Childcare Master Plan’ at Seoul City Hall, stating that 670 billion KRW will be invested in 47 projects across four major areas by 2025. The four major areas are ▲strengthening the publicness of childcare ▲improving demand-tailored childcare quality ▲guaranteeing labor rights and working conditions for childcare staff ▲creating a healthy and safe childcare environment.

First, the Seoul-type Shared Childcare Centers will be expanded throughout Seoul. The plan includes involving ‘Together Childcare Centers’ and ‘Eco-friendly Childcare Centers’ to simultaneously enhance childcare quality and user satisfaction. Public childcare centers will also be expanded evenly by region, considering the number of infants and toddlers and waiting lists, raising the public childcare center ratio from 35.6% this year to 50% by 2025 across all childcare centers in Seoul.

‘365 Open Childcare Centers,’ which provide temporary childcare services 24/7 for emergencies, will be established and operated with one center in each of the 25 autonomous districts by 2025. The ‘Hub-type Night Extended Childcare Centers,’ where dedicated night childcare teachers provide safe nighttime care to children from other centers, will be expanded from the current 25 centers to 425 centers by 2025.

Efforts will also be made to improve the top priority demand in childcare sites: the teacher-to-child ratio. The full support for newly hired childcare teacher salaries, currently piloted in 110 public childcare centers for 0- and 3-year-old classes, will be expanded by 2025. Support projects incorporating 4th industrial revolution technologies such as ‘AI robots’ into childcare sites will also be expanded.

Mayor Oh said, “Improving the teacher-to-child ratio will secure at least 2.64㎡ of dedicated childcare space per child, ensuring sufficient activity space. Especially, the ideal childcare environment will be created by reducing the class size of 3- to 5-year-olds from 15?20 children to 10?15 children per class.” He added, “Due to COVID-19 restrictions on field trips and special classes, children have been exhausted; therefore, we will expand the ‘AI Robot Support Project’ from 300 centers to 1,000 centers by 2025 to provide new fun and interest.”

Furthermore, to improve childcare quality, efforts will be made to enhance childcare teachers’ treatment. Starting next year, in line with the revised Labor Standards Act, support for hiring ‘non-homeroom senior teachers’ will begin to allow childcare teachers to freely enjoy vacations and breaks. Operating expenses support will be increased or newly established for private and home childcare centers excluded from government salary support. As a result, childcare staff holidays will increase by about 5 to 10 days, and operating expenses for infant and toddler classes will increase by 100,000 KRW per month.

Mayor Oh also announced plans to raise childcare center meal and snack fees to kindergarten levels starting next year. From March next year, when free kindergarten meals begin, the minimum daily meal and snack fee for children in childcare centers will be set at 2,997 KRW for toddlers, up 497 KRW, and 2,090 KRW for infants, up 190 KRW. Additionally, remodeling expenses to improve indoor air quality in childcare centers will be supported, a pilot project for outdoor air circulation installation will be promoted, and ‘infant-dedicated babysitters’ will be trained and supported, starting with 200 in 2024 and expanding to 1,000 by 2025, to assist families returning to work after childbirth and childcare leave.

Mayor Oh stated, “Children are our future, and childcare is the key to opening that future. Through the implementation of Seoul’s mid- to long-term childcare plan, childcare centers will provide a ‘safe childcare environment,’ childcare staff will have ‘happy jobs,’ and children and parents will enjoy ‘high-quality childcare services.’”

He emphasized, “As positive perceptions of childbirth, parenting, and childcare spread among Seoul citizens, Seoul’s ultra-low birthrate problem will ultimately be resolved, and Seoul’s childcare, which is great for raising children, will become the standard for future childcare in Korea.”

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