"I understand how difficult it is on the ground, as I have two grandsons myself," said Oh Se-hoon, the candidate for Seoul mayor from the People Power Party, during a meeting with over 100 childcare teachers on May 14, 2026, in Jongno, Seoul. The teachers shared their challenges, and Oh took notes while nodding in agreement. The main focus of the meeting was a pressing request: "Please allow us to care for fewer children."
Childcare teachers particularly expressed concerns about overcrowding in infant classes. One teacher noted, "Even with just three infants, it’s a situation where I can’t take my eyes off them for a moment," adding that lowering the teacher-child ratio is essential to reduce safety incidents. Another teacher mentioned, "We are already at our physical and emotional limits; teachers need to be able to endure to provide stable care for the children."
In response, Oh assured, "The strongly requested '1 to 2 ratio' has been noted precisely," and added, "Reducing the ratio will allow you to work more efficiently and provide quality service to the children. I promise to spare no support as long as finances allow."
Following the meeting, Oh posted a lengthy message on his social media, stating, "Raising children is nurturing the future of our society," and emphasized that he would take more responsible actions starting from Seoul.
Observers believe that these statements are not mere election promises. During Oh's previous term as mayor in 2021, Seoul became the first city in the nation to launch a 'teacher-child ratio improvement project.' At that time, while childcare centers nationwide operated according to legal standards, Seoul invested municipal funds to experiment with reducing the number of children per teacher. The results were reportedly evident in the field.
According to the city, a total of 95.2 billion won will be invested in this project this year, with the number of supported classes doubling from 1,500 to 3,000. Notably, support for infant classes will expand from a limited number of childcare centers to all centers in Seoul.
While the legal standard allows one teacher to care for three infants, Seoul will reduce this to two. The ratio for one-year-olds will decrease from five to four, and for two-year-olds from seven to six. For three-year-olds, the maximum will drop from 15 to 10. The ratio for classes with children with disabilities will also be adjusted from three to two.
The response from the field has been significant. According to a survey by the city, the number of safety incidents in participating childcare centers has decreased by nearly three times compared to before the project. Teacher job satisfaction has also reportedly improved.
One teacher from a three-year-old class remarked, "When I was caring for 15 children alone, I had to work overtime every day, but now that the number has decreased, I can properly attend to each child." A parent of an infant added, "Infants who crawl and lie down require a lot of attention, and seeing the teachers share responsibilities reassured me."
Oh reiterated during the meeting that childcare is not just a welfare issue but an investment in the future. He explained that creating a city where it is easy to have and raise children is crucial for Seoul's competitiveness, especially in an era of low birth rates. He emphasized, "Without improving the working conditions for childcare teachers, the quality of care cannot improve," stating, "Teachers must be happy for the children to be happy."
Campaign officials also described the meeting as not just a listening session but a reaffirmation of policy direction.
As the issue of creating a city conducive to raising children emerges as a major topic among voters, Oh is accelerating his outreach to young parents by emphasizing practical childcare policies.
Childcare teachers particularly expressed concerns about overcrowding in infant classes. One teacher noted, "Even with just three infants, it’s a situation where I can’t take my eyes off them for a moment," adding that lowering the teacher-child ratio is essential to reduce safety incidents. Another teacher mentioned, "We are already at our physical and emotional limits; teachers need to be able to endure to provide stable care for the children."
In response, Oh assured, "The strongly requested '1 to 2 ratio' has been noted precisely," and added, "Reducing the ratio will allow you to work more efficiently and provide quality service to the children. I promise to spare no support as long as finances allow."
Following the meeting, Oh posted a lengthy message on his social media, stating, "Raising children is nurturing the future of our society," and emphasized that he would take more responsible actions starting from Seoul.
Observers believe that these statements are not mere election promises. During Oh's previous term as mayor in 2021, Seoul became the first city in the nation to launch a 'teacher-child ratio improvement project.' At that time, while childcare centers nationwide operated according to legal standards, Seoul invested municipal funds to experiment with reducing the number of children per teacher. The results were reportedly evident in the field.
According to the city, a total of 95.2 billion won will be invested in this project this year, with the number of supported classes doubling from 1,500 to 3,000. Notably, support for infant classes will expand from a limited number of childcare centers to all centers in Seoul.
While the legal standard allows one teacher to care for three infants, Seoul will reduce this to two. The ratio for one-year-olds will decrease from five to four, and for two-year-olds from seven to six. For three-year-olds, the maximum will drop from 15 to 10. The ratio for classes with children with disabilities will also be adjusted from three to two.
The response from the field has been significant. According to a survey by the city, the number of safety incidents in participating childcare centers has decreased by nearly three times compared to before the project. Teacher job satisfaction has also reportedly improved.
One teacher from a three-year-old class remarked, "When I was caring for 15 children alone, I had to work overtime every day, but now that the number has decreased, I can properly attend to each child." A parent of an infant added, "Infants who crawl and lie down require a lot of attention, and seeing the teachers share responsibilities reassured me."
Oh reiterated during the meeting that childcare is not just a welfare issue but an investment in the future. He explained that creating a city where it is easy to have and raise children is crucial for Seoul's competitiveness, especially in an era of low birth rates. He emphasized, "Without improving the working conditions for childcare teachers, the quality of care cannot improve," stating, "Teachers must be happy for the children to be happy."
Campaign officials also described the meeting as not just a listening session but a reaffirmation of policy direction.
As the issue of creating a city conducive to raising children emerges as a major topic among voters, Oh is accelerating his outreach to young parents by emphasizing practical childcare policies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.