Substitute payment for childcare refers to a policy in which the government pays for childcare expenses firsthand for those whose ex-spouses fail to carry out their responsibility to provide financial support for their children. The government in turn asks the ex-spouses for reimbursement. (Image credit: Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Korea Bizwire) –Single mothers struggling without financial support from their former spouses have called on the South Korean government to help pay for childcare.
Members of Childcare Expense Solution (CES) held a press conference on Monday in front of the National Assembly urging government action as they emphasized substitute payment for childcare expenses by the government was one of President Moon Jae-in’s pledges.
Substitute payment for childcare refers to a policy in which the government pays for childcare expenses firsthand for those whose ex-spouses fail to carry out their responsibility to provide financial support for their children. The government in turn asks the ex-spouses for reimbursement.
The CES said that the “financial burden has always been the factor obstructing our effort, despite discussions to legislate this movement since the 17th National Assembly,” adding that “current practices only make us spend too much in time and money to have ex-spouses pay for childcare expenses.”
They also emphasized the special need for “governmental and social policy to provide childcare expenses” as they face the immediate problem of running out of money to take care of their children, and it will be too late to wait on legal proceedings to secure childcare expenses.
“The government should be more deeply engaged in the question of childcare support,” they said, “this is the most important, and most fundamental duty of state and society.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
