"No Care Gaps During Commute Hours" ... Extended Operating Hours for 30 'Dahamkke Dolbom Centers'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 1st that it will conduct a pilot project to extend the operating hours of 30 nationwide 'Dahamtge Dolbom Centers' from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Since its inception in 2017, Dahamtge Dolbom Centers have been providing care services such as supervision, meals and snacks, and experiential and leisure activities to elementary school students in need of care during non-school hours by utilizing public facilities in the community. Approximately 17,000 children use 694 centers nationwide, which operate from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the school term and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during vacations.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare selected 30 centers to participate in this year's pilot project after comprehensively considering care demand, center size, and the possibility of extended hours. These centers will extend their operating hours by two hours each in the morning and evening, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during vacations), respectively.

Centers participating in the pilot project can be found on the Dahamtge Dolbom project website, and those wishing to use the service can inquire by phone at the respective centers.

The Ministry stated, "There has been a continuous increase in the demand for gap-time care during parents' commuting hours, especially among dual-income families, due to the childcare burden on parents of elementary school students." They added, "Through this pilot project to extend operating hours, we expect to provide more comprehensive care services."

Dahamtge Dolbom Centers can be applied for through the Government24 all-day care one-stop service regardless of income, and each center prioritizes users such as dual-income families. The Ministry plans to strengthen the foundation for providing elementary child care services by adding 450 more Dahamtge Dolbom Centers this year.

Bae Geum-ju, Director of Population and Child Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "We plan to continuously expand the scale of the pilot project through satisfaction surveys of children using the service during the pilot period and close communication with the field," adding, "We will continue to strive to prepare customized care policies that can respond to the diverse care needs of parents of elementary school students."

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