Democratic Party Rep. Kwon Chil-seung: "No Budget Allocated for Relocating Yongsan Presidential Office Workplace Daycare"
Residents Urge Use of Blue House Daycare and Installation of Daycare at Presidential Office
Presidential Office Explains "Result of Reflecting Staff Demand, Preference for Using Blue House Daycare"
[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] There have been criticisms that no budget was allocated for relocating the Blue House workplace daycare center (‘Mugunghwa Daycare Center’) during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s move of the presidential office. The Presidential Office explained that, based on a survey of employees’ needs, most wished to continue using the existing ‘Mugunghwa Daycare Center,’ and this was reflected in their plans.
On the 3rd, based on confirmation through the Presidential Office by Kwon Chil-seung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, it was pointed out that while relocating existing Blue House organizations such as the Presidential Secretariat, National Security Office, and Security Office, no childcare facilities were provided for employees’ children.
Because of this, employees of the Presidential Office who leave their children at the workplace daycare center face the inconvenience of commuting between the daycare center left at the Blue House and their workplaces moved to Yongsan for drop-off and pick-up, Kwon pointed out. The Presidential Office explained regarding this, "During the office relocation, multiple surveys on daycare needs were conducted among Presidential Office and Security Office employees, and most employees wished to continue using the existing Mugunghwa Daycare Center." They stated there was no demand for a daycare center at the Yongsan Presidential Office.
The Presidential Office guides employees who wish to use daycare centers near the Yongsan Presidential Office to the Ministry of National Defense workplace daycare center (‘Ministry of National Defense Building Daycare Center’). Kwon’s office pointed out, "Currently, six children of Presidential Office employees are using the Ministry of National Defense Building Daycare Center, and there are children waiting for vacancies." On the other hand, the Presidential Office explained, "Only six people (five from the Security Office, one from the Presidential Secretariat) wish to enroll in the Ministry of National Defense daycare center," and "the Ministry of National Defense daycare center is sufficiently accommodating all applicants."
There were also allegations of legal violations in the use of the Ministry of National Defense daycare center. According to the current Infant Care Act and its enforcement rules, employers who cannot establish a workplace daycare center independently must enter into a consignment contract with a local daycare center, specifying the consignment period and childcare costs, to support childcare for employees’ children (consigned childcare). However, the Presidential Office did not enter into a consignment contract with the Ministry of National Defense. In contrast, the Presidential Office explained, "According to Article 14 of the Infant Care Act and Article 20 of its Enforcement Decree, which consider multiple national administrative agencies sharing a building as a single workplace, there is no problem with the Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense jointly using the daycare center."
Rep. Kwon said, "The problem faced by the Presidential Office workplace daycare center contradicts the purpose of establishing workplace daycare centers to support work-family balance," and added, "Since many vacancies have arisen at the Mugunghwa Daycare Center, it should be made available for use by residents near the Blue House, and a new workplace daycare center for Presidential Office employees’ children should be built in Yongsan."
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