As Gangnam Reconstruction Becomes Active, Public and National Childcare Centers Also Increase

Opened 10 Sites Including DH Firstier I-Park Last Year and This Year
Mandatory Installation of Public Childcare Centers in New Complexes with Over 500 Households

The construction site of The H Firstier I-Park in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In Seoul's Gangnam-gu district (Mayor Jo Seong-myeong), where new residential complexes are increasing due to the revitalization of reconstruction projects, six new public daycare centers will be established this year following four last year. Gangnam-gu announced on the 6th that it will expand six public daycare centers in complexes scheduled for reconstruction occupancy this year, operating a total of 71 centers.

Since the revision of the Infant Care Act Enforcement Decree in 2019, complexes with more than 500 new households are required to install public daycare centers.

In Gangnam-gu, four new daycare centers will open in March within the D.H. Firstier I-Park complex (formerly Gaepo Jugong 1 Complex), which is scheduled to house 6,702 households. In July, one center will open in the Suseo Station area Happy Housing A2 Block, and one family daycare center in Segok-dong Gangnam Desiang Park will be converted to a public daycare center.

Last year, four centers opened within each complex: Gaepo Sangnok Starhills in Gaepo 2-dong (1,703 households), Gaepo Xi Residence (3,375 households), LH Suseo 1 Complex in Segok-dong (830 households), and The Arkrion (597 households).

Gangnam-gu explained that it has enhanced public accessibility by allowing parents outside the apartment complexes to conveniently use the daycare centers established within the complexes. For example, the Geunsol Daycare Center in Gaepo Xi Residence, boasting a spacious area of 1,368㎡ (1st and 2nd floors), secured a dedicated parking lot for the daycare center in the underground parking garage, making it convenient for external users.

For D.H. Firstier I-Park, to address the issue of the drop zone being distant from the daycare center, the district consulted with the association to enable daycare parents to conveniently use the apartment elevators and underground parking lot.

Children playing at Keunsol Daycare Center, which opened last year. (Photo by Gangnam District Office)

Meanwhile, Gangnam-gu supports renovation costs to improve safety for 41 aging daycare centers (21 district-run, 20 private and family centers). Full funding is provided for urgent repairs such as leaks, boiler malfunctions, and facility damages. Safety inspections are conducted twice a year for 80 daycare centers and 67 children's playground facilities, and detailed safety diagnoses and seismic performance evaluations are carried out for 18 centers.

For daycare centers with a total floor area of 430㎡ or more, IoT-based environmental sensors are installed to maintain indoor air quality by monitoring fine dust, ultrafine dust, carbon dioxide, and other air quality factors. Among 59 such facilities, 26 had IoT environmental sensors installed last year, and the remaining 33 are planned for installation this year. Additionally, energy performance improvement remodeling, including window and insulation work, is carried out for public daycare centers that have been completed for more than 10 years to enhance the quality of childcare environments.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “As Gangnam-gu was the only one among Seoul's 25 districts to see an increase in births last year, we are also focusing on creating an environment where children can be raised safely. We will continue to increase the number of public daycare centers, which are highly preferred by parents, to build ‘Gangnam, a childcare-friendly city.’”

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