South Korea’s army eyes 24-hour childcare services for military families
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South Korean Army Major Seo Hye-jung (left) and Captain Kim Jin-su posing for a photo with their quintuplets.
PHOTO: SOUTH KOREAN ARMY
SEOUL – South Korea’s Army is moving to establish a childcare support system that would allow the children of active-duty personnel and military civilian employees to receive 24-hour care services.
According to the military authorities on Feb 9, the army has commissioned a research project on a “24-hour childcare system for military families”, aimed at building an institutional care framework.
The military said the move is intended to address difficulties service members and military civilian staff face in arranging childcare, in large part due to frequent relocations, training schedules and assignments in remote or isolated areas.
Currently, the military operates its own daycare centres, but nightcare extends only to midnight. While some local governments offer weekend and late-night childcare services, military personnel have limited access to such programmes, as many bases are located far from urban areas.
The study will review 24-hour child care services operated in the private sector, as well as welfare models for other uniformed professions, including police officers and firefighters.
“The goal is to develop a flexible care model tailored to military families rather than simply operating facilities year-round on a 24/7 basis,” the army said. “We plan to pilot the programme at military childcare centres before expanding it to civilian facilities in local communities.”
The total fertility rate among female troops of childbearing age stood at 1.19 in 2024, up from 1.02 in 2023, according to the Defence Ministry. The national total fertility rate that year was 0.75. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
