Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has designated 350 restaurants and café outlets in Seoul as “Seoul Kids OK Zones,” welcoming children. The Seoul Kids OK Zones are opening from Dec. 13.
SMG designated 350 outlets, which disclosed their intention to join in the program, as Seoul Kids OK Zone. Seoul plans to expand the number of such outlets to 700 by 2026.
Seoul Kids OK Zone is part of the “Mother, Father Happiness Project” SMG launched in August to ease the burden of raising children and create a society environment in which it is respected.
Prior to the designation, Seoul Metropolitan Government had informed that the purpose and content of Seoul Kids OK Zone was to induce restaurants’ and cafes’ voluntary participation in the project since September.
Three hundred and fifty outlets with children’s menus have been designed among applicants submitted through ward offices.
Seoul Kids OK Zone has yellow and orange certification stickers as one of the features of a space welcoming children.
Restaurants and café outlets offer children’s foods and child-friendly features, such as children’s chairs, spoons and forks.
The location and address of the restaurants and café outlets, designated as Seoul Kids OK Zone, can be found at the Smart Seoul Map, a Seoul life theme map platform.
Meanwhile, SMG struck an MOU on Seoul Kids OK Zone with three organizations, including Korea Food Service Association, on Nov. 22. Under the deal, the entities agreed to fully cooperate in SMG’s efforts to make Seoul a metropolis a better place to raise children.
Kim Sun-soon, the head of the Women & Family Policy Affairs Office at SMG, said, “An increasing number of ‘no kids’ spaces is a regrettable reality that can shrink fosters psychologically and restrict their accompaniment with kids, and SMG will continue to implement Seoul Kids OK Zone through voluntary participation by restaurants and café outlets to make Seoul a convenient place to raise kids.”
‘Expanding Child Care Facilities at Idle Church Spaces’
Kim Sun-soon, the head of the Women & Family Policy Affairs Office at SMG, made a proposal on the utilization of church spaces to improve childcare environment and overcome a low birth rate.
Kim made the remarks while delivering a keynote presentation at the CBS Bird Care Forum at CCMM Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on Nov. 23.
Kim said, “SMG disclosed a plan to invest 14.7 trillion won in the next five years while announcing a plan to implement ‘Mother and Father Happiness Project’ on Aug. 18, and one of core projects is expanding childcare-friendly facilities at several places.”
“If projects, such as Seoul-type Kid Café, designed to explore idle spaces at churches and offer childcare, and ‘Mother and Father VIP Zone’ are implemented together, they will bring about great changes in regional society,” she said.
Conducting desirable childcare campaigns, such as spreading of positive awareness toward child birth and care at church community meetings and faith activities will greatly contribute to overcoming low birth rate, Kim said.
SMG Digital Sex Crime Safety Support Center Deletes Over 2,000 Illegal Videos
SMG Digital Sex Crime Safety Support Center deleted more than 2,000 illegally-taken sex videos in the seven months since its inauguration. The program is designed to support digital sex crime victims.
The center also offered about 5,000 cases of support, such as investigation and legal services and psychological hearing. The findings were revealed on Nov. 27 to mark seven months since the inauguration of the center.
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