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By Lee Kyung-min
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) plans to investigate child abuse at private daycare centers, but it can only inspect public facilities for the time being.
It said on Friday that it seeks to revise the related laws to expand its inspection authority.
The move comes amid public uproar following a series of violent incidents and other abuse of children by daycare center employees.
Officials at the NHRC said the primary goal of the change is to prevent any such incidents from recurring.
"We recognize the need for a broad application of the law, considering child abuse keeps happening at daycare centers and about 95 percent of centers are private," an official said.
"Also, the possibility of being investigated would make employees avoid such terrible violence against children."
The NHRC will propose the bill to the National Assembly as soon as the draft is complete, the official added.
Civic groups welcomed the move.
"As all parents know, more than 90 percent of daycare centers are private, meaning they seek profit, not children's safety. I think the NHRC is on the right path to prevent crimes against the innocent and vulnerable," People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy Vice President Ahn Jin-geol said.
He said the government's move to mandate setting up surveillance cameras in all daycare centers is not enough.
"Although such plan would definitely curtail staffers' abusive behaviors, it is not the ultimate answer. I think, as many parents would agree, all daycare centers should be state-run. If the government really cares about the welfare of children, the state should take the full responsibility and run them," he added.
