Baek Hyunjin Proposes Bill to Principally Ban Sex Offenders from Operating or Working at Daycare Centers

Strengthened Sexual Crime Qualification Requirements Expanded to Kindergartens and Schools

Bae Hyun-jin, Member of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The People Power Party is pushing for an amendment to the law that would fundamentally prohibit individuals with a history of sexual offenses from operating or working at daycare centers.

On the 23rd, People Power Party lawmaker Baehyun Jin announced that she recently proposed the "Partial Amendment to the Infant Care Act," which expands the strengthened qualification requirements regarding sexual offenses of kindergarten and school teachers to include daycare centers.

The lawmaker's office explained that the reason for proposing the amendment is that daycare centers care for younger children than kindergartens, yet there is currently no legal basis to fundamentally prevent individuals with a history of sexual offenses from operating or working in these facilities. Under the current law, even if a person has committed a serious crime against infants and young children, they can work at related institutions once their employment restriction period ends, or if the court judges the risk of reoffending to be low or there are special circumstances.

Lawmaker Bae said, "Although a law blocking individuals with disqualifying sexual offense records from being teachers from kindergarten through elementary, middle, and high school passed the National Assembly in 2020, this provision is missing for the operation and employment at daycare centers, where children first encounter society." She added, "We aim to fundamentally block the current law's exceptions for daycare centers that care for children from 0 years old up to 4 or 5 years old, to alleviate any concerns about the safety of infants and young children, no matter how small the risk may be."