A photo of an apartment complex in downtown Seoul. A file photo by the Kyunghyang Shinmun

In an apartment complex in Seoul, conflicts and arguments between residents are escalating over the establishment of a public daycare center in the complex. “If you're going to send your child to a daycare center, quit your job and take care of your child,” residents who opposed the establishment said to other residents who agreed to the plan. As the declining birthrate becomes a national issue, budgets and measures are pouring in, but in reality, daycare centers in apartment complexes are treated as “hate facilities” that lower property values.

According to a report by the Kyunghyang Shinmun on February 5, Apartment A, a 700-unit complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, has been in conflict among residents since the end of last year over the construction of a state-run daycare center in the complex. The discussion began in September last year when Daycare Center B, which is located near the apartment, notified that it would be closed by the end of February this year. There were about 20 children attending the daycare center, more than half of whom were children of Apartment A’s residents. After looking for alternatives, the parents consulted with Jongno-gu District Office and others to come up with a plan to relocate the daycare center to a space in the complex and convert it into a national and public facility. They presented the proposal to the resident representative meeting in October last year.

The conflict began when some residents who opposed the idea of hosting a public daycare center in the complex stood up. The residents who first questioned the process and three public hearings were held in November and December of last year. During the hearings, opponents said, “The whole process is wrong because the apartment complex is private property.” They also reportedly said things like, “You don't have money, so you want to send your child to a public daycare center,” and “If you can only work if you send your child to a daycare center, you should quit your job and stay home and raise your child.” Some of the opponents also broke into Daycare Center B and filmed the personal information of the nursery teachers with their cell phone cameras, causing the police to be dispatched.

The main argument of the opponents is “infringement of property rights.” The emergency committee, which gathered opposing residents, recently issued a statement saying, "It should be prioritized to use the idle space in the apartment complex as a facility only for our apartment residents," adding, "When a national and public daycare center comes in, children, parents, and teachers living outside of the apartment complex enter our apartment, causing inconveniences such as danger and noise."

Parents who are pushing for the establishment of a daycare center cannot hide their embarrassment. Ms. C said, “If the majority of the residents vote against it, it will be rejected, but the opponents are preventing us from voting.” Mr. D said, ”The problem of low birthrate is serious, and I cannot understand why they set up an emergency committee to oppose the establishment. They even claimed that they don't want people with disabilities to come to the apartment complex, and many people are hurt and struggling.”

Initially, the Jongno-gu District Office was active in supporting the establishment of a public daycare center in the apartment complex, but discussions were reportedly halted due to internal strife among residents.