Gwangju to Raise Childcare Fees for Private and Home-Based Daycare Centers for Ages 3-5... Full Subsidy for Increased Amount

Childcare Fees for Private and Home-Based Daycare Centers for Ages 3 to 5 Increased
Collection Limits for Certain Necessary Expenses Raised
Effective March 1... Additional Costs Fully Covered by Local Government Funds

Gwangju Metropolitan City will increase the childcare fees and necessary expense collection limits for private and home-based daycare centers for children aged 3 to 5. However, the city will cover the entire amount of the increase with local government funds, ensuring that parents will not face any additional financial burden. The intent is to improve operating conditions in the childcare sector while maintaining the principle of free childcare.

Gwangju City recently held a Childcare Policy Committee meeting to review and approve the "2026 Daycare Center Childcare Fee and Necessary Expense Collection Limits," and officially announced the decision on January 30. As a result, the maximum monthly childcare fee for classes of children aged 3 to 5 at private and home-based daycare centers will increase by 8,000 won compared to the previous year. The annual limit for necessary expenses will rise by 108,000 won. The newly set childcare fees and necessary expense collection limits will take effect from March 1.

Gwangju City recently held a Childcare Policy Committee meeting in the city hall conference room to review and approve the 2026 daycare center childcare fees, the maximum amount for necessary expenses collection, and the childcare project implementation plan. Provided by Gwangju City

According to Article 38 of the Infant Care Act, provincial governors are required to determine each year the maximum childcare fees and necessary expenses that daycare centers can collect from guardians. While government-supported facilities follow the childcare fees set by the government, the maximum childcare fees for classes of children aged 3 to 5 at private and home-based daycare centers-which do not receive wage support-have been raised after comprehensively considering factors such as operational difficulties, inflation, and increases in the minimum wage.

The collection limits have been set as follows: for private daycare centers, 385,000 won for 3-year-old classes and 373,000 won for 4- and 5-year-old classes; for home-based daycare centers, 401,000 won for 3-year-old classes and 389,000 won for 4- and 5-year-old classes.

To eliminate any additional burden on parents resulting from this fee increase, Gwangju City will fully subsidize the increased amount with local government funds as part of its commitment to free childcare.

Additionally, among the seven categories of necessary expenses that parents pay at actual cost, the collection limits for three categories-special activity fees, vehicle operation fees, and breakfast/dinner meal fees-will be raised by 108,000 won per year. Specifically, special activity fees will increase by 3,000 won per month, vehicle operation fees by 2,000 won per month, and breakfast/dinner meal fees by 100 won per meal. The limits for the remaining categories, including admission preparation fees, field trip fees, event fees, and other city/province-specific costs, will remain unchanged.

Gwangju City has also been expanding its free childcare policy. Since September 2023, the city has provided 100,000 won per month for five-year-old children. In July last year, following the government's phased expansion of free childcare, this program was converted into a national initiative. Accordingly, Gwangju City retroactively provided 50,000 won per month for three-year-old children starting in July last year, and this year, the city will fully implement free childcare for four-year-olds as well.

Detailed information on the "2026 Daycare Center Childcare Fee and Necessary Expense Collection Limits" announced this time can be found on the Gwangju City website.

Meanwhile, the Childcare Policy Committee also reviewed and approved the "2026 Childcare Project Implementation Plan," covering a total of 51 childcare projects across four categories. The related budget amounts to 446.5 billion won, an increase of 7.1 billion won compared to the previous year. Key initiatives include expanding the coverage of necessary expenses borne by parents, increasing additional support for Nuri Curriculum childcare fees, raising the unit price for daycare meal subsidies, introducing new grants to improve the teacher-to-child ratio for infant classes and to support morning care, expanding the scope of infant development consulting, and strengthening protection for childcare staff during childcare activities.

Choi Kyunghwa, Director of the Women and Family Affairs Bureau, stated, "We have reflected these policies to ease the burden on parents and childcare providers and to improve the quality of early childhood care," adding, "We will create a stable childcare environment that children, parents, and staff can all trust, making Gwangju a city where it is easy to have and raise children."

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