Government warns against private kindergarten walkout

Tension is rising as government bodies vowed to take tough countermeasures against private kindergartens that participate in what may become a massive walkout in the coming weeks.

Education officials called such a temporary shutdown, which members of the Korea Kindergarten Association announced Friday, illegal. The shutdown is to oppose government education policies including a plan to expand public kindergartens.

The members said they will temporarily close down the institutions nationwide for six days, first on Monday and again from Sept. 25 to 29 depending on how the govern- ment responds. They also said about 90 percent of the 4,100 kindergartens nationwide have agreed to participate in the walkout.

They are primarily calling on the government to drop its plan to expand state-run or public kindergartens, which it seeks to increase to 40 percent by 2022 from the current 25. In addition, they are against receiving a government audit and seek more financial aid, arguing all parents should be able to enjoy equal benefit.

However their move is drawing a backlash from government bodies and many parents. Education Minister Kim Sang-kon called it illegal and plans to discuss countermeasures with heads of the metropolitan and provincial education offices.