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For working parents, finding day care spots a frustratingly long, grueling experience

Published: 22 Oct. 2025, 09:08 Updated: 22 Oct. 2025, 09:16

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Children make gimbap with their mothers during a special cooking class at a day care center in Buk District, Gwangju, on Dec. 6, 2024. [GWANGJU'S BUK DISTRICT OFFICE]

When Ms. Lee returned to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, after years of living abroad, she looked forward to raising her 16-month-old daughter in her home country. But her excitement quickly faded when she realized she couldn’t even secure a spot for her child at a day care center.

“I registered for three public day care centers and received waiting numbers of 32, 23 and 10,” she said, adding that she had applied two months earlier.

“The center I want most is the one where I got No. 23 — it’s right inside my apartment complex.”

Her most preferred center told her she would have to wait at least six months for a spot.

For many parents like Ms. Lee, registering and queuing for months to enroll infants in day care is a nail-biting, draining ritual in Korea, which has become an anxious race that begins almost at birth.

The problem stems from a combination of factors — persistently low birthrates, the growing preference for public day care due to lower costs and reliability, and a system where demand far outpaces supply.

After years of decline, Korea’s fertility rate rose marginally last year — from 0.72 to 0.75 — the first uptick in nine years. Yet, for working mothers and fathers alike, raising children remains a daunting challenge, as the number of day care centers continues to fall and more parents turn to public ones.

A child holds his mother’s hand on the way to a daycare center on Nov. 20, 2024. [NEWS1]

Why day care matters

For dual-income families, day care centers are indispensable. With few alternatives and limited extended family support, they allow both parents to continue working — often providing care late into the evening for those with long hours.

The country has fallen into a vicious cycle: as fewer babies are born, day care centers shut down, leaving parents who do have children scrambling for care. The number of centers nationwide fell from 33,246 in 2021 to 27,387 in 2024, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Between 2017 and 2022 alone, about 9,000 centers closed.

No. of day care centers [LEE JEONG-MIN]

Enrolling children in day care isn’t just about finding the best institution. For many parents, the race begins early to secure a spot at a center that’s affordable, reliable and close to home.

In Korea, day care centers generally serve children up to age five and fall into several categories: national and public, private, home-based and corporate. Among them, public centers are the most sought-after. Operated by central and local governments, they are popular for their affordable tuition, experienced teachers and stable management.

The difference also lies in government subsidies. While the level of support varies across regions, in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, parents at public day care centers pay an additional 200,000 won ($140) per month for events, whereas those at private centers pay 264,000 won.

Public centers on the rise

According to data from the Ministry of Education and the Korea Social Security Information Service, as of September last year, 95.9 percent of families seeking national day care centers were on waiting lists, compared to 88.1 percent for private centers and 84 percent for home-based ones — showing that demand for public facilities remains strongest.

Children play among autumn leaves at a park in Buk District, Gwangju, on Nov. 21, 2024. [GWANGJU'S BUK DISTRICT OFFICE]

Even as the overall number of centers declines, the government has expanded the share of public ones. Their numbers rose from 5,437 in 2021 to 6,521 in 2024. Since 2019, new apartment complexes with more than 500 households have been required by law to include a public day care center. As a result, public centers’ share of the total has grown from 16 percent in 2021 to 24 percent in 2024.

Seoul has been at the forefront of expansion. The city announced plans to increase its number of public centers to 1,800 by the end of this year, up from 844 in 2014. As of September, it had already reached 1,861.

Still, the number of available spots doesn't meet the demand. Parents often wait a year or longer for a place.

And as more families flock to public centers, nearby private ones have struggled to survive. Their numbers plummeted from 10,603 in 2021 to 8,181 in 2024.

Children pose for a photo at a flower festival in Inje County, Gangwon, on Oct. 16. [INJE COUNTY OFFICE]

For working parents, the closure of a day care center can feel like a disaster. Without family members to help, many rely entirely on these facilities for child care.

Those currently on parental leave often submit their applications so that their children can start day care when they return to work.

“I plan to return to work next November, so I set my preferred start month to September,” another mother wrote online. “But people say if all the spots fill up in March, I’ll have no chance. Should I change it?”

She was ranked 18th out of 23 applicants at one public center and 8th out of 12 at another.

“If your score isn’t high, it’s too late,” one commenter replied.

A timing game

Applications to register for public and private day care centers, excluding those operated by corporations, are made through the government’s iSarang online portal, where parents can browse centers and check availability. But the waiting list isn’t purely first-come, first-served — it’s based on a complicated points system that prioritizes certain family circumstances.

Single parents, parents with disabilities, pregnant women and multicultural families each receive 100 points, while dual-income and multi-child households receive 200. Higher scores mean higher placement on the list — so even early applicants can be bumped down by families with more points.

Parents can apply to up to three centers and select preferred start dates and hours. Because most facilities begin a new school year in March, missing this window often means waiting another year.

The most competitive class is for infants under 12 months, known as the “zero-year class,” since most dual-income parents seek care for babies under two. Whether such a class exists depends on the facility.

Children look at flowers at a festival in Inje County, Gangwon, on Oct. 16. [INJE COUNTY OFFICE]

A Seoul city official said each district determines whether to open one based on local demand and resources.

Prof. Son Hye-sook at the child education department at Kyungin Women’s University said improving the queuing system could help ease parents’ frustration.

“Some say the waiting period itself is too long,” she said. “Instead of keeping applications open for months, collecting them over a shorter window — say, January and February — might make the process fairer and faster.”

For Ms. Lee, still waiting for a call from her preferred center, patience is her only option.

“I desperately hope they’ll open more classes,” she said, adding that she plans to enroll her child as soon as a spot opens.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]