Table of Contents
- Busan, a City Suitable for Giving Birth and Raising Children, Realization of Comprehensive Free Childcare
- Additional Support of 40,000 Won per Month for 3-5 Year Olds, Realization of Practical Free Childcare
- Improvement of Infant Care Environment through Increased Snack Fees for Ages 0-2
- New Monthly Support of 100,000 Won for Childcare Fees for Foreign Children
- Expansion of Childcare Infrastructure for Dual-Income and Night-Working Parents
- Budget and Scale of Beneficiaries
- Vision of Busan as an Integrated Parenting City
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Busan, a City Suitable for Giving Birth and Raising Children, Realization of Comprehensive Free Childcare
Busan City plans to implement a comprehensive free childcare policy for children aged 3 to 5 starting in 2026.
This policy aims to alleviate the financial burden on parents and improve the quality of childcare services, expanding support for necessary expenses and meal fees, and newly introducing support for foreign children’s childcare fees.
This measure has been established as a core policy of the Busan parenting policy brand “Cherished Like You” and is being promoted as an important project to develop Busan into a city suitable for giving birth and raising children.
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Additional Support of 40,000 Won per Month for 3-5 Year Olds, Realization of Practical Free Childcare
The city will provide an additional 40,000 won per month to children aged 3 to 5 through the 'Childcare Necessary Expense Support Project.' As a result, fees for special activities, field trips, event costs, and specialty costs that parents used to pay out of pocket will be fully exempt, realizing practical free childcare.
Since the necessary expense support program started in July 2024, it has been gradually expanding.
In 2024, special activity fees for children aged 3 to 5 will start being supported at 80,000 won per month, and field trip fees will be 17,000 won per month.
In 2025, field trip fees will be extended to 2-year-old children, and an additional event fee of 10,000 won per month for 5-year-old children will be introduced.
In 2026, event fees for parents of 3-4 year-olds will also be supported at 10,000 won per month, and specialty costs will be newly introduced at 30,000 won per month.
With these changes, the total necessary expense support for children aged 3 to 5 will amount to 137,000 won starting next year, effectively making the financial burden on parents 'zero (0)'.
The support for specialty costs is expected to diversify the educational programs at childcare centers and improve the quality of teaching materials and tools.
Improvement of Infant Care Environment through Increased Snack Fees for Ages 0-2
Busan City has decided to increase the snack fees for infants aged 0 to 2 by 4,000 won. The amount will be adjusted from the previous 8,000 won to 12,000 won, representing an increase of about 50%. This change is part of efforts to improve the quality of meals for infants and toddlers.
Currently, infants receive support of 400 won per day, while children aged 3-5 receive 1,040 won, creating a significant disparity. However, starting in 2026, the snack fee for infants will increase to 600 won per day. This is expected to enhance the overall quality of meals for infants and toddlers.
Approximately 70.9% of the children enrolled in Busan daycare centers are aged 0-2, so this policy change will provide substantial benefits to them.
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New Monthly Support of 100,000 Won for Childcare Fees for Foreign Children
The government has decided to newly support foreign children aged 3 to 5 with 100,000 won per month for childcare fees.
This measure is expected to reduce the financial burden on foreign families and contribute to making Busan a global city where multicultural families and foreign residents can interact.
Currently, foreign children were required to bear childcare fees ranging from 280,000 won to 560,000 won per month, but this new support will significantly alleviate their financial burden.
It is anticipated that this will lay the groundwork for all children to grow up in an equitable childcare environment, regardless of nationality.
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Expansion of Childcare Infrastructure for Dual-Income and Night-Working Parents
Busan City plans to expand various childcare facilities to alleviate the childcare burden for parents. It will increase the number of 'Busan 365 Open Hour Childcare Centers' and 'Hourly Care Institutions,' and plans to open two new 'Joint Workplace Childcare Facilities.'
Starting in 2026, the number of 365 Open Hour Childcare Centers will increase to 13, which is an increase of 3 compared to 2025. Additionally, 10 new hourly care classes will be operated, and the total number of joint workplace childcare facilities will be expanded to 7, allowing more families to receive support.
These measures are expected to create an environment where children can be safely entrusted to care during night and weekend hours, further strengthening the system that allows dual-income families to maintain a balance between work and home.
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Budget and Scale of Beneficiaries
The total budget of Busan City amounts to 23.88 billion won, targeting approximately 42,537 children for this support. Among them, there are 12,371 children aged 3-5, including 150 foreign nationals, while 30,166 infants aged 0-2 will also benefit.
The support items will include expanded necessary expenses for children aged 3-5, an increase in snack fees for infants aged 0-2, and new support for childcare fees for foreign national children. Additionally, expansion of hourly childcare facilities and joint workplace childcare will also be planned.
This budget plan is expected to alleviate the financial burden on parents and enhance stability in the childcare sector, thus being considered an important financial support for establishing Busan-type free childcare.
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Vision of Busan as an Integrated Parenting City
This policy goes beyond just childcare fee support; it is a step-by-step execution plan for Busan to develop into an integrated parenting city.
The plan aims to build a support system for childcare throughout life in various fields including childcare, education, employment, and housing, creating a city where both children and parents can be happy.
Busan City will continue to strive to realize "a city filled with children's laughter, a city where you want to live even if you are born again" by further strengthening financial and institutional support.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What free childcare policy will Busan City implement starting in 2026?
Starting in 2026, Busan City will implement a comprehensive free childcare policy for children aged 3 to 5.
Busan City will launch a comprehensive free childcare policy targeted at children aged 3 to 5 starting in 2026. This policy includes the expansion of necessary expense support, an increase in meal fees, and newly introduced support for foreign children's childcare fees, aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and improving the quality of childcare services. This project is a significant endeavor to create a city suitable for giving birth and raising children, positioned as a core policy of the Busan parenting policy brand “Cherished Like You.”
Q. How will the necessary expense support for children aged 3-5 change?
A practical free childcare will be realized through an additional monthly support of 40,000 won for children aged 3-5.
Through the childcare necessary expense support project, Busan City will provide an additional 40,000 won per month to children aged 3 to 5, exempting the costs for special activities, field trips, events, and other actual expenses. Starting from 2024, the support items and amounts will gradually expand, so that by 2026, a total of 137,000 won will be provided. This will effectively reduce the financial burden to near zero for parents, and the new introduction of specialty costs is expected to enhance the quality of educational programs and teaching materials.
Q. How will the snack fee support for infants aged 0-2 change?
The snack fee for infants aged 0-2 will increase by 4,000 won, adjusting it to 12,000 won.
Busan City will increase the snack fee for infants aged 0-2 from the previous 8,000 won to 12,000 won, representing about a 50% increase. The daily support will also increase from 400 won to 600 won, aiming to balance the support between infants and children aged 3-5 and improve the overall quality of meals. This policy will provide substantial benefits to the approximately 70.9% of children enrolled in Busan daycare centers who are aged 0-2.
Q. What is the childcare fee support policy for foreign children?
Monthly support of 100,000 won will be newly provided for foreign children aged 3-5.
The government and Busan City have decided to provide 100,000 won monthly childcare fee support for foreign children aged 3-5, aiming to reduce the financial burden on foreign families and create Busan as a global city where multicultural families and foreign residents can interact. Previously, foreign children had to bear monthly childcare fees ranging from 280,000 won to 560,000 won, but this new support will significantly lighten their financial burden, allowing for an equitable childcare environment irrespective of nationality.
Q. What are the plans to expand childcare infrastructure for dual-income and night-working parents?
Expansion of 365 open hour childcare centers, hourly care institutions, and joint workplace childcare is planned.
Busan City plans to ease the childcare burden for dual-income and night-working parents by increasing the number of 365 open hour childcare centers to 13 by 2026, adding 10 hourly care classes, and expanding the number of joint workplace childcare facilities to 7. This will create an environment where parents can safely entrust their children to care even during night and weekend hours, enhancing the balance between work and family.
Q. What is the budget and beneficiary scale for the Busan free childcare policy?
A total budget of 23.88 billion won will support approximately 42,000 children.
Busan City has allocated a total budget of 23.88 billion won for the free childcare policy, targeting approximately 42,537 children. Among them, there are 12,371 children aged 3-5 and 30,166 infants aged 0-2, including 150 foreign nationals. The support will include expanded necessary expenses, an increase in snack fees for infants, support for foreign childcare fees, and the expansion of childcare facilities. It is expected to contribute to reducing the financial burden on parents and stabilizing the childcare environment.
Q. What is the vision and goal of the Busan Integrated Parenting City?
A support system for lifelong childcare in areas such as childcare, education, employment, and housing.
Busan City is promoting a step-by-step plan to develop into an "Integrated Parenting City" beyond just childcare fee support. The goal is to establish a comprehensive support system for childcare throughout life, across various areas, making a city where both children and parents can be happy. Through this, Busan aims to realize the vision of "a city filled with children's laughter, a city one would want to live in even if reborn," with continuous strengthening of financial and institutional support.