South Korea Considers Expanded Nighttime Childcare Options After Survey reveals Important Gap in Coverage
Seoul, South Korea – August 24, 2025 – A new survey by teh South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare reveals a critical need for expanded childcare options, notably during nighttime hours. The findings come after a tragic July fire in Busan highlighted the vulnerability of children left unsupervised late at night.
The survey, conducted between July 21st and 31st, polled 2,519 parents utilizing after-school care facilities like local children’s centers and daham care centers – which currently operate between 1pm and 8pm. results indicate that one in four parents report having no immediate childcare solution when an urgent situation arises at night.
The most common “care gap” – periods when children are left without adult supervision or wiht younger siblings – occurs between 4pm and 7pm, affecting 30.1% of respondents. This is followed by 8pm to 10pm (28%), 10pm to midnight (1.5%), and midnight to 7am (0.8%).
Significantly, over 62% of parents who experience a care gap after 10pm rely on relatives or neighbors. Though, a concerning 25.1% reported having no alternatives available. Only 3.1% indicated they would utilize existing childcare services.
The data underscores a strong demand for public support. 64.4% of parents – nearly two-thirds – expressed a need for a public service system to address emergency nighttime childcare needs. The most preferred solution was extending current center hours to 10pm (41.7%), followed by in-home care services (28%), community-based care (24.1%),and 24-hour center operation (14.8%).
regarding potential fees, the majority of parents (32%) indicated a willingness to pay between 5,000 and 10,000 won. Other preferred price points were 10,000 to 20,000 won (27.3%),under 5,000 won (21.1%), 20,000 to 30,000 won (12.6%), and over 30,000 won (7.1%).
Parents also voiced concerns about utilizing nighttime care, with lifestyle disruptions (55.5%), transportation difficulties (55.1%), potential impacts on emotional development (45.9%), and the overall usage burden (35.7%) being the most frequently cited.
The survey was commissioned following a July 2nd fire in busan, where two young sisters were left home alone after 10pm while their parents were out.
“We will cooperate with the relevant ministries so that parents who are working in a night emergency situation or late time can be relieved,” stated Kim Sang-hee of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The Ministry plans to expand its national village care facility extension care pilot project as part of a broader government initiative responding to these findings.
By Rachel Kim, world-Today-News.com – News Editor & SEO Strategist
