S. Korea proposes free child-care services

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SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- South Korean officials said Sunday all households with children up to 5 years old probably will get free child-care services beginning next year.

President-elect Park Geun-hye pledged to expand South Korea's welfare spending and political parties reacted approvingly, the Yonhap News Agency reported in Seoul.

The majority Saenuri Party reached a consensus agreement to implement the free child-care program for which approximately $1.5 billion would be set aside by the parliamentary budget committee, Yonhap reported.

Parents will get a monthly allowance of up to $187 and the choice of free child-care center or kindergarten attendance if the measure is passed by the budget committee and the main parliamentary session, the news agency said.

Park has said she would not eliminate the already existing free child-care program for infants and would create more public child-care centers across South Korea.