These shared childcare rooms, known locally as “gongdong yuga bang,” serve as collaborative spaces where parents and guardians can collectively care for children while exchanging child-rearing information. (Yonhap)
HAENAM, Aug. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The rural town of Haenam in South Jeolla Province is making notable strides in building family-friendly infrastructure through the operation of communal childcare spaces, an initiative that’s gaining traction in this part of South Korea.
These shared childcare rooms, known locally as “gongdong yuga bang,” serve as collaborative spaces where parents and guardians can collectively care for children while exchanging child-rearing information. The concept embodies the Korean tradition of “pumasi,” or mutual aid.
Since the establishment of the first communal childcare center in the Koaroo apartment complex in 2021, Haenam has expanded its network. A second location opened last year on the third floor of the newly inaugurated Haenam Family Community Center.
The town has also extended its efforts to more remote areas. On Eobul Island, municipal funds were used to renovate a senior citizens’ center into a childcare space. Additionally, as part of an urban regeneration project initiated in 2020, a facility called “Airang Sarangbang” (Love Room with Children) was created in Haenam’s old town center.
The popularity of these spaces is evident in the numbers. In the first half of this year alone, the two main communal childcare centers saw over 5,700 visitors participating in various programs, including childcare sharing and regular activities.
On Eobul Island, the childcare room operates with separate programs for preschoolers and elementary school students. Parent members collaboratively care for about 10 children, offering activities such as Korean language lessons, reading sessions, and physical education.
The Airang Sarangbang, established last year through the urban regeneration project, has become a pivotal childcare hub in the old town center. Equipped with a playroom for infants and toddlers and a picture book library, it saw high participation rates in the first half of this year, with 86 children in daycare and 417 program participants.
Town officials believe that these communal childcare spaces contribute significantly to creating a family-friendly care environment, aligning with Haenam’s broader goal of becoming a women-friendly city.
“As the saying goes, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’” a town official said on August 9. “The family-friendly care environment created through these communal childcare rooms is playing a crucial role in revitalizing our local caregiving community.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
