Daycare center with no cameras to be fined

By Kim Se-jeong

A man installs a surveillance camera at a daycare center in Daejeon in this file photo. / Korea Times file

More than 40,000 daycare centers across the country will face up to a 3 million won fine if they fail to install surveillance cameras by December, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday.

The ministry said the rule will come into effect on Sept. 19, but there will be a three-month grace period. Fines will be imposed on facilities which violate the rule from Dec. 18.

The new rule comes amid growing concerns over child abuse in daycare centers.

According to the revised law, at least one closed circuit television (CCTV) is required in each room on the property, and those who fail to comply will be penalized with a 1 million won fine for the first violation. That amount will increase in increments of 1 million won for additional violations up to 3 million won.

The law also requires daycare centers to keep video footage for 60 days before erasing it and to allow parents to view any footage.

The demand for CCTVs at daycare centers increased after a shocking child abuse case in January. A 33-year-old teacher at a daycare center in Songdo punched a 4-year-old child in her chest and threw her to the ground.

Lawmakers pledged to make the installation of surveillance cameras mandatory to curb such abuse. The move drew opposition from teachers and daycare center managers citing that it infringes on the privacy of teachers. The revised law was finally approved in May.

The latest incident was reported in Seoul, Thursday. Seodaemun Police Station said they were investigating allegations that a caregiver had abused a two-year-old at a daycare center in the district.

The boy’s parents accused the caregiver of leaving their son in a booster chair for two hours on purpose, saying he was deeply traumatized. The parents submitted cell phone footage recorded by other parents as evidence to the police. The video showed the boy sitting on the booster chair for an extended time period. The daycare center manager denied the parents’ accusation, saying the baby voluntarily sat in the booster seat and it was far from abuse.