Opening of the 4th Branch of Our Neighborhood Care Center in Seongnae 1-dong, Gangdong-gu

Providing Care Services as Safe as School and as Comfortable as Home, Including Homework Guidance and Play Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) has opened the 4th branch of the Our Neighborhood Care Center, a facility where elementary school students can enjoy safe care even after school hours.

Last year, South Korea's birth rate recorded an all-time low of 0.8, but infrastructure to address the low birth rate issue remains insufficient.

In response, the district is expanding the Our Neighborhood Care Center, a space where elementary students can meet peers and rest safely after school, a place that alleviates parents' concerns, and a venue to experience various programs, aiming to eliminate blind spots in elementary care caused by changes in the parenting environment.

Starting with the first branch, Sangsangnaru Lae Care Center, which opened in 2019, the 2nd branch (Myeongil 2-dong) and 3rd branch (Gangil-dong) have been opened and are currently operating.

In particular, the 4th branch, opened in Seongnae 1-dong this time, was established by receiving space through a free lease agreement with the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) last year.

The residents' community facility (Room 201, 88㎡) of the newlywed couple rental housing ‘Seodo Hubill’ was remodeled into a child-friendly care space, allowing 20 children to use it for both regular and temporary care.

The ‘Our Neighborhood Care Center’ is available to any elementary school student in need of care regardless of income level. With a monthly fee of 50,000 KRW for regular care and a daily fee of 2,500 KRW for temporary care, services such as homework guidance, play activities, cultural, artistic, and sports programs, and snack provision are offered. It operates from 1 PM to 7 PM during the school term and from 9 AM to 6 PM during vacations. Reservations can be made online through the Our Neighborhood Care Portal if desired.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “As the demand for care steadily increases due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we will strive to create a care environment where parents can entrust their children with peace of mind. We plan to open the 5th and 6th branches of the Our Neighborhood Care Center this year, establishing a dense local care system to make Gangdong-gu a district without care gaps.”