Seoul mayor sticks to foreign nanny scheme

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hook speaks during a press conference held at the City Hall in central Seoul on Monday to mark the first anniversary of his office. (Yonhap)

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said his proposal of bringing foreign babysitters to ease the child care burden of households would reverse the waning birth rate as he marked one year in office since his reelection on Monday.

Addressing the ever-decreasing birth rate as the city government’s biggest task to tackle, the mayor said the system would operate as a pilot program in the latter half of the year, and the government would later decide to implement the system. The city government will also financially aid married couples struggling to get pregnant for in-vitro fertilization in 2024.

“It’s disappointing that (foreign nannies) are subject to the minimum wage standard. If there’s no other option than this, it won’t help boost the declining birth rate,” Oh said.

If the low birth rate continues, Oh said the city will start reviewing immigration policies.

“One of the easiest approaches would be capitalizing on foreign students studying here and making them contribute to the job force. Bringing foreigners to the labor force will soon become a competitive factor between countries.”

Apart from his plans to raise birth rates, Oh touted the city’s free online lecture platform dubbed “Seoul Learn” as the “most meaningful work” he has accomplished, explaining that it has provided high-quality education without resorting to out-of-school institutes.

“I’ve heard from a parent that his son became interested in studying and later enrolled in a science high school. I felt the need to provide more educational content,” Oh said.

The free lectures offer educational content for all students, including courses from famous lecturers at big private academies.

Oh said he has also gotten a foothold on boosting the tourism industry. He said the city plans to increase infrastructure investment to become one of the top five global cities and attract more than 30 million tourists annually.

“It’s painful to witness that city couldn’t see a stark increase in tourists since the pandemic this year as it hadn’t adequately invested in infrastructure before,” Oh said.

But the mayor bets big that the Seoul Ring Zero, the world’s tallest hubless Ferris wheel on the banks of the Han River, which is expected to be completed in 2027, and a second Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Yeouido will garner more foot traffic.

Oh also said the city will raise its subway and city bus fares by 300 won (23 cents) to meet the growing budget deficit. He added that the city would keep communicating with the central government on when the revision will come into play.

Looking back on the past year as Seoul’s mayor, Oh said he would be a mayor who keeps his promises.

“The most pivotal task is to keep my promises. It’s not just about the numbers but also about how people can feel the changes in society with the policies,” Oh said.

By Park Jun-hee(junheee@heraldcorp.com)