Choo Kyung-ho Visits Local Childcare Center: "Double the Number of Part-Time Childcare Facilities"

The government will more than double the number of part-time childcare centers for dual-income couples.

On the 25th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho announced this during a visit to the Umyeon-dong Community Child Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The government will assign one additional welfare worker to community child centers with more than 25 children, deploying a total of 3,001 workers. The operating expenses, which were 7.86 million won per month this year, will be increased by 15% to 9.04 million won starting next year.

To ensure stable childcare services, next year’s childcare fees at daycare centers will be raised by 5%, more than twice the projected inflation rate. Additionally, extra childcare fees will be provided for under-enrolled infants’ classes (ages 0-2) at daycare centers. The additional support per under-enrolled child will increase from a minimum of 232,000 won to 629,000 won.

To alleviate the caregiving burden on dual-income couples, the number of part-time childcare centers will be expanded from 1,030 to 2,315, more than doubling. The number of households supported by the child care service will also increase from 85,000 to 110,000.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "To ensure children grow up healthy and properly, we will continue to make efforts to reduce childcare burdens by expanding the childcare infrastructure budget to 3.7 trillion won, a 9.6% increase from this year, despite difficult fiscal conditions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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