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Mandatory installation of closed circuit television in nursery school from September

Mandatory installation of closed circuit television in nursery school from September

Posted May. 01, 2015 07:20,   

한국어

The revised act on infant and child care that makes it mandatory to install a closed circuit television in nursery schools has passed the plenary session in the National Assembly on Thursday. In addition, not just single mothers but single fathers will be able to register the birth of his baby out of wedlock. The National Assembly held the plenary session on the day and passed some 60 pending bills.

The revised act was supposed to be passed in a provisional session during February as the ruling and the opposition parties had agreed to do so but rejected in the plenary session by unexpectedly high number of abstentions and objection. Having been inundated by public criticism, the leaders of the both parties agreed to bring it to the table again, giving it a priority to be passed in April. As if to be aware of previous rejection, Rep. Shin Ui-jin of the ruling Saenuri Party raised the positive voice over the act as an only debater prior to the decision. The act was passed by the overwhelming number of ayes with only six lawmakers who cast blank ballots including Kim Ki-sik, Jeong Cheong-rae, Park Hong-geun and Seo Ki-ho of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy and Seo Yong-kyo from the Saenuri Party out of 190 who came to vote.

When the act comes into effect, every nursery school across the country will be required to install closed circuit televisions and keep the recorded videos for 60 days or longer. The network cameras, which were controversial at February’s provisional session, could be installed with the agreement of the director and teachers of a nursery school, and kids’ parents. In an effort to improve the treatment of teachers, daycare centers are required to employ assistant and substitute teachers as well.

Also eye-catching was the pass of “Family Relation Registration Act” that allows a father of a kid whose mother can’t be identified to register the kid’s birth after he gets confirmation from the Family Court.

The current Family Relation Registration Act allows only mothers to register kids out of wedlock. For a father of such kid, at least four legal actions with complication have to be undertaken, which takes nearly two years. Under the revised act, however, the time needed will be greatly reduced to three to four months as it would only require a paternity test by the Family Court.

Additionally, the National Assembly unanimously passed the resolution for urging restoration support for victims of devastating earthquake in Nepal on April 25 and collecting lawmakers’ subscription. They plan to deliver a total of 100,000 U.S. dollars to the Parliament of Nepal by donating 3 percent of May’s extra allowance and the Secretariat of the National Assembly is said to chip in, too.



hong@donga.com