Korea’s Birth Rebound Collides With Persistent Daycare Shortages

South Korea’s nascent rebound in births is running into a stubborn childcare bottleneck, with parents in some neighborhoods facing long waits for daycare even as the national number of centers continues to fall.

The mismatch is especially acute for infants and in districts with new housing developments. One Seoul father said his younger child had been waiting 18 months for a place at a public daycare center in Gwangjin-gu and stood at No. 285 on the list. His wife has worked part time to care for their children, reducing the household’s income. Other parents say that privately operated and home-based centers can also be difficult to access along commuting routes.

The number of daycare centers nationwide dropped for a 12th consecutive year, falling from a peak of 43,770 in 2013 to 26,064 in 2025, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data. The 2025 total was 4.8 percent lower than a year earlier, amounting to a decline of roughly 40 percent from the peak.

Closures have followed the long-term contraction in the child population. Childcare specialists say centers can struggle to maintain the minimum enrollment needed for public subsidies and teachers’ salaries. Home-based and privately operated facilities have been particularly affected, leaving fewer options in areas where demand remains concentrated.

The supply squeeze is becoming more visible as births recover. South Korea recorded 254,341 births in 2025, up 6.7 percent and marking a second consecutive annual increase. While that rebound does not reverse the country’s demographic challenges, it is placing renewed pressure on childcare capacity, particularly for children aged two and younger.

The Ministry of Education is preparing a policy response that would allow public daycare centers to serve only infants aged zero to two, instead of requiring them to accommodate both infants and older children. The proposed legal amendment is open for public comment and could take effect as early as next year. Childcare oversight moved from the Health Ministry to the Education Ministry in June 2024.

Officials say older children can attend kindergarten, while care options for infants are more constrained, especially in newly developed towns. Public daycare capacity has continued to expand despite the overall decline: the number of public centers rose 3.4 percent to 6,745 in 2025 from 6,521 a year earlier.

The figures point to a policy challenge that is less about the national total than the location and age profile of available places. As Korea seeks to sustain its birth recovery, ensuring that families can find childcare near home or work may prove as important as financial incentives designed to encourage parenthood.