Continuous Improvement of Childcare Facilities
Yeongdeungpo District in Seoul (District Mayor Choi Hokwon) announced on July 28 that it had completely demolished the 'Yeongi Daycare Center', which was previously located in the entertainment district in front of Yeongdeungpo Station, last month.
This daycare center was situated in a busy area near Yeongdeungpo Station, surrounded by accommodations such as motels and hotels. There were concerns that the environment was unsuitable for childcare, as harmful flyers and cigarette butts were frequently found littered on the streets. In addition, the building was over 60 years old, with issues such as wall cracks and water leaks, raising safety concerns and making it difficult to continue operating the facility as a daycare center.
Exterior view of 'Happy Youngyi Daycare,' newly opened last September. Provided by Yeongdeungpo District.
Although the former daycare center located in the entertainment district has now disappeared into history, the district opened the public 'Happy Yeongi Daycare Center' on the first floor of the Yeongdeungpo-dong Public Complex Center, which was inaugurated in September last year, and relocated the children there prior to the demolition.
The demolition of 'Yeongi Daycare Center' and the opening of 'Happy Yeongi Daycare Center' are part of Yeongdeungpo District's ongoing policy to strengthen the infrastructure of public daycare centers. Last year, the district improved the environment of a total of 34 aging public daycare centers and plans to expand this to 40 centers this year. In addition, the district aims to increase the utilization rate of public daycare centers from 73.8% last year to 76% this year, simultaneously pursuing both quantitative expansion and qualitative improvement of public childcare services.
Choi Hokwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, stated, "It is most important to provide an environment where parents can entrust their children with peace of mind," and added, "We will continue to do our best to establish a public childcare system that satisfies both children and parents."
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