Daycare center staffer arrested over child abuse
A daycare center employee, surnamed Yang, comes out of the Incheon District Court, Saturday, after the court reviewed whether to issue an arrest warrant for her on charges of child abuse at the center in Songdo, Incheon. The court later issued the warrant. / Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
A daycare center employee was arrested Saturday on charges of repeatedly abusing children, including punching a four-year-old girl in the face, police said.
The Incheon District Court issued the arrest warrant for the 33-year old female staffer, surnamed Yang, who worked at the daycare center in Songdo, citing concerns that she might flee or destroy evidence.
The arrest comes amid public uproar after disclosure of video footage in which Yang swings her right arm at a girl, knocking her to the ground because she did not eat kimchi on her food tray.
The girl got up and knelt before the staffer instead of bursting into tears, with other children around also kneeling quietly. Experts believe their reaction indicates that it wasn’t Yang’s first abuse.
Officials at the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station said they already secured evidence that she abused children at the center physically and emotionally in five different cases, with an ongoing investigation of another 11 suspected cases. She is expected to face more charges as the probe continues.
The mothers of some alleged victims claim that Yang beat their children for “refusing to eat food they didn’t like” or “getting dance moves wrong.”
Talking to reporters on Saturday, Yang admitted beating the girl, which was captured by a surveillance camera, but denied beating other children.
“My actions have been exaggerated,” she said. “I’m human, too. I started this work because I liked children.”
The director of the daycare center was also booked without physical detention on charges of negligence. Police believe she was aware of some of Yang’s abuses, which she denies.
Meanwhile, politicians from both ruling and opposition parties are scrambling to come up with measures to toughen punishment for child abuse at daycare centers.
Rep. Kim Yung-rok from the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy proposed a “one-strike” bill, under which any daycare center would be shut down permanently if child abuse is found. Under the current law, a center is closed only if a child dies as a result of abuse.
Lawmakers from the ruling Saenuri Party are considering requiring surveillance cameras to be installed at all daycare centers and staffers to receive more education.
After discussing the details, the parties plan to pass a bill as early as February. But the plan might be hampered by the opposition of 44,000 daycare centers nationwide.
While some point to the poor qualification system of daycare center employees, staffers themselves also believe the qualification and license system should be strengthened, a report showed.
According to a recent report, 87.3 percent of 253 surveyed daycare center employees in Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas said the current system needs improvement. Currently, anyone can earn the license after taking a few online courses and on-the-spot training.
When asked why improvement is needed, 72.3 percent said because they have unqualified colleagues.
Most of them also called for personality testing in the licensing system ― they said this will prevent unqualified people from becoming child caregivers.
Some critics also cite poor working conditions at daycare centers ― they work all day and receive a mere 1.5 million won ($1,400) a month, and it is difficult to attract qualified people for the job with such poor conditions.