Jeongeup-si and Korea Rail Network Authority Sign Business Agreement for Construction of Railroad Daycare Center

Published 29 Jul.2022 14:12(KST)

[Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil] Jeongeup City in Jeonbuk Province is creating an environment that makes it easy to have and raise children by providing high-quality childcare services through national and public daycare centers.

The city announced on the 29th that it signed a "Business Agreement for the Establishment of Jeongeup Railway Daycare Center" with the Honam Headquarters of the Korea National Railway Corporation at City Hall to strengthen the public nature of childcare and alleviate the childcare burden of working parents.

The agreement ceremony, attended by Mayor Lee Hak-su and Choi Won-il, head of the Honam Headquarters of the Korea National Railway Corporation, involved discussing the roles of each institution for establishing the railway daycare center and jointly signing the agreement.

According to this agreement, the Railway Corporation will provide idle space within the railway station free of charge and support the installation costs and operational supplies such as teaching materials and educational tools necessary for the establishment of the railway daycare center.

The city will actively cooperate with administrative matters such as obtaining permits required for the installation and operation of the daycare center, and will be responsible for designating the national and public daycare center, selecting the entrusted operator, and maintenance excluding construction defects.

Both institutions expect that this agreement will enhance the public nature of childcare, provide high-quality childcare services, activate childcare for vulnerable groups, and help reduce the parenting burden on parents of infants and young children.

They also expect it to contribute to increasing the birth rate and population inflow by creating a safe and pleasant childcare environment, as well as realizing public value by utilizing railway facilities.

The national and public daycare center to be built as a railway daycare center will be installed and operated on a 500㎡ site next to the rear parking lot of Jeongeup Station, with a facility area of 250㎡.

The total project cost is 2.1 billion KRW, and a space will be provided where about 30 children can stay safely and comfortably.

Mayor Lee Hak-su said, "Expanding national and public daycare centers is important to build a public childcare infrastructure and strengthen the public nature of childcare," adding, "We will do our best to create a safe childcare environment where parents can leave their children with peace of mind by thoroughly implementing the agreement."

Meanwhile, the railway daycare center first opened at Pyeongnae-Hopyeong Station in March 2019, and three additional locations at Haengsin Station, Tanhyeon Station, and Yeoju Station are scheduled to open soon.