Even families who don't send their toddler to daycare on a regular basis sometimes need someone to watch the child for just a few hours -- for a doctor's visit or an urgent errand. That's what part-time childcare (sigan-je boyuk) is for. You reserve it by the hour and can even receive a government subsidy, but starting in March 2026, the way it runs is changing, including a lower number of children per teacher. Here's a rundown of the fees, how to apply, and what's different this year.

What part-time childcare is — occasional care for home-raised infants

Part-time childcare is a service for infants and toddlers who are raised at home rather than enrolled in a daycare center or kindergarten, used only when needed and booked by the hour. Rather than dropping the child off every day like a regular program, parents reserve whatever date and time slot they need. It's aimed at parents who suddenly need to see a doctor or run an errand and want a safe place for their child without committing to daily daycare. The main eligible group for the government subsidy is infants from 6 months up to under 36 months (roughly the 2-year-old class), though older toddlers can still use the service itself if a facility has an open slot.

How much it costs per hour — 2,000 won if you qualify for the subsidy

The standard fee for part-time childcare is 5,000 won per hour. However, infants from 6 months up to under 36 months who are not enrolled in daycare or kindergarten and who receive the parental allowance (cash) or the childcare allowance get a government subsidy of 3,000 won per hour for up to 60 hours a month, bringing the parent's out-of-pocket cost down to 2,000 won per hour. Once you go over that 60-hour monthly cap, the extra hours revert to the full 5,000-won rate, so it helps to estimate your expected monthly usage in advance.

Independent classes vs. integrated classes — different operating hours

Part-time childcare runs in two formats. An independent class is made up solely of part-time childcare children and can be booked by the hour Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. An integrated class uses open slots within a center's regular class when the roster isn't full, and its available hours are shorter — Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Since available time slots and capacity vary by center, check which format the facility you plan to use actually runs before applying. If there's no independent class nearby, it's more realistic to look for a center running an integrated class first — but keep in mind that because an integrated class only opens when the regular class has spare capacity, whether it's offered at all can change by region and by season.

What changes from March 2026 — staffing ratio and booking convenience

Korea's Ministry of Education announced that starting in March 2026, the number of children per teacher in independent part-time childcare classes will drop from 3 to 2. With fewer children per teacher, each child should get more individual attention — though it also means fewer available slots in the same time window, so popular time slots may see more competition for bookings. Convenience improvements are coming too: to handle urgent childcare needs, the same-day booking window for independent classes has been extended from noon to 2 p.m., and in the second half of 2026 a simultaneous multi-child booking feature is planned, aimed at families who currently have to book each sibling separately. Once that feature is built, details will be announced through the Aisarang portal.

Apply through the Aisarang portal — from booking to cancellation

Reservations and applications for part-time childcare go through the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Aisarang portal (www.childcare.go.kr). After signing up and registering your child, you choose a center and a date and time to book, and changes or cancellations are handled on the same portal. As with requesting CCTV footage from a daycare center, procedures and capacity differ by facility, so checking a center's real-time remaining slots on the portal before booking saves a wasted trip. If payment isn't completed within 3 days of booking, further reservations are blocked, and after 7 days a 2-point penalty is issued and all reservations are canceled, so make sure to complete payment within the stated deadline once you've booked.

The no-show penalty system — it can lock you out of booking for the month

A penalty-point system is in place to discourage no-shows -- booking a slot and then not showing up without a valid reason. Points from independent and integrated classes are combined, and once the monthly total reaches -7 points or worse, all of that month's existing reservations are canceled and no further online bookings are possible for the rest of the month. If you need to cancel for an urgent reason, canceling through the portal ahead of the scheduled time is the surest way to avoid a penalty.

How it differs from other infant support programs

Because part-time childcare is occasional, hourly care rather than a regular program, it serves a different purpose from something like a developmental rehabilitation service voucher, which funds treatment or support for a specific developmental area. And once a child reaches school age, families naturally move on to elementary after-school care or the Neulbom School program -- part-time childcare is best understood as filling the gap before that, supplementing home care during the infant and toddler stage. Knowing which program fits your child's age and situation means you won't be scrambling when you actually need one. This is especially true for first-time parents, who often learn about programs like this too late -- even if you have no plan to send your child to daycare regularly, registering your child in advance with your local childcare support center or the Aisarang portal is the simplest way to be ready to book the moment you actually need it.

Step by step

① Sign up on the Aisarang portal and register your child. ② Check whether you qualify for the 2,000-won or 5,000-won rate based on whether you receive the parental or childcare allowance. ③ Check whether the center you want runs an independent class (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) or an integrated class (9 a.m.-4 p.m.). ④ Check real-time remaining slots on the portal and book a date and time. ⑤ Keep an eye on your usage so you don't exceed the 60-hour monthly subsidy cap. ⑥ If you have multiple children, watch for the announcement of the simultaneous booking feature planned for the second half of 2026.