Debate flares up over validity of sending children to day care with recording devices

A teacher and a young boy play at a day care center in Seoul's Songpa District on Sunday. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

By Jun Ji-hye

Debate is heating up over whether it is appropriate or justified to send children to day care with hidden voice recording devices, after some mothers shared their experiences of doing so in online communities.

The mothers said that the recording devices were used to substantiate the possibility of child abuse, where they had suspicions that it might be occurring at their respective day care centers. But objectors say that the mothers went too far, saying that teachers' morale will be destroyed if they discover such devices are being used to monitor them.

Last month, one mother shared her story in Momsholic, an online forum popular among mothers and moms-to-be, drawing both support and criticism.

The mother said she sent her 22-month-old child to a day care center with a small recording device in the child's bag because her child one day said “Eat fast” while playing with dolls and cried every morning, refusing to go to day care.

Then, the mother filed a police report accusing one of the day care workers of child abuse after checking the recordings and hearing a voice that said, "It's either you or me. One of us has to go," and instructed other children not to eat like her child.

When the keywords “day care recorder” is searched for in the online portal Naver, a number of small recording devices were displayed for sale, with various types, ranging from a necklace to key rings and badge types. Some products have advertising phrases such as “Please keep our children safe.”

Legal experts say sending children to day care centers with these recording devices may be a violation of the law, as the law dictates recording conversations without the consent of the other party is subject to up to a 10-year prison sentence.

However, some parents are still using their children to make illegal recordings as the CCTV cameras installed at day care centers often do not include audio. They say this can make it harder to prove child abuse when it occurs.

In 2019, a district court in Daegu recognized the voice of a babysitter that was recorded by parents as evidence in a child abuse case against a 10-month-old baby, and imposed a fine on the babysitter. The ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court the same year.

This case demonstrates that the welfare of the child was prioritized over the act of illegally recording the person in this specific case of child abuse.

Staff at day care centers speak of difficulties stemming from the distrust exhibited by parents.

“We are paid a low amount and suffer from a lot of stress. Nevertheless, we continue to work because we love children,” said an employee of a day care center in Seoul's Dongjak District. “If I discover a voice recorder in the children's bags or clothes, I would likely become demoralized.”

Some mothers shared concerns held by day care staff. One mother wrote in the online forum, “I think being a day care worker is an extremely tough job. I've never even considered sending my child to day care with a hidden recording device. Those who did so went too far.”