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Gov't to roll out late-night child care service on Jan. 5

Published: 28 Dec. 2025, 16:43

A child is seen at a childcare center in Nowon District, northern Seoul on Nov. 16. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A new public service allowing parents to leave their children in care facilities until as late as midnight will launch on Jan. 5 next year for children aged six to 12.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Sunday that late-night extended child care will be available starting Jan. 5 at 360 after-school care centers nationwide, including local children’s centers and “Together Care” centers.

The program is designed to fill gaps in child care during evening hours when parents may be delayed due to unexpected work, evening shifts or family emergencies. It also serves as a follow-up measure to deadly apartment fires in June and July this year, where children were left unattended without adult supervision.

Even parents who do not regularly use after-school care centers can utilize the service. The parents should apply at least two hours in advance. Eligible children are elementary school students aged six to 12.

Care hours will extend from 6 p.m. to either 10 p.m. or midnight on weekdays. Of the 360 centers, 326 will offer care until 10 p.m., while 34 will stay open until midnight.

These facilities typically operate from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., meaning care will be extended by up to four hours. For example, to begin using the service at 8 p.m., parents must submit their application by 6 p.m.

A childcare center at an elementary school in Seoul is seen on Nov. 6, 2020. [YONHAP]

The daily fee is capped at 5,000 won ($3.5), a measure intended to prevent late-night use without valid reasons. However, children from low-income households — including those receiving basic living subsidies or in the lower-income bracket — can use the service free of charge.

Children must be handed over directly to a preregistered guardian upon pickup. Facility locations and contact information are available on the website of the National Center for the Rights of the Child.

“We’ve established a new public child care system that allows guardians to leave their children at nearby facilities with peace of mind in emergencies,” said Jang Young-jin, director of the Division of Child Welfare Policy at the Health Ministry. “We will monitor for any inconveniences as the program rolls out and make ongoing improvements to ensure high satisfaction.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG JONG-HOON [[email protected]]