The ruling party lawmaker in charge of forming plans to tackle child abuse vowed on Wednesday to pass related amendments by April.
Saenuri Party Rep. Ahn Hong-joon said he hopes to pass bills that obligate child care centers nationwide to install more surveillance cameras and strengthen penalties against perpetrators and condoners.
Ahn’s made the comments after a meeting with senior government officials amid nationwide efforts to battle child abuse in day care centers after multiple reports of child abuse by teachers surfaced last month.
In one widely publicized case, a day care center teacher was arrested after camera footage showed her shoving a female toddler for not eating her kimchi at mealtime.
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy and the Saenuri Party have agreed to come up with a swift response to curb child abuse, but they disagree on the specifics.
NPAD officials say the government must increase wages to attract better-qualified staff and provide other nonfinancial support so that child care centers have the “resources to do their job.” Saenuri officials say stronger penalties against abuse and more cameras at day care centers must come first.
“We agree that teachers deserve higher wages and better support, but we think stronger penalties and other preventive measures should be the priority,” one Saenuri Party official said, refusing to be named.
Government officials from the Education Ministry, the Ministry of Public Safety and Security and the national police were present at Wednesday’s meeting. Officials are working on a plan that will incorporate ideas from the NPAD and the Saenuri Party.
By Jeong Hunny (hj257@heraldcorp.com)
