Fewer facilities for kids

[Anchor]

This is a time to think about the low birth rate issue.

These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see playgrounds or kindergartens.

As the number of children decreases, it may seem reasonable to eliminate such facilities, but let’s consider whether we should continue to remove and reduce them.

Reporter Choi In-young has the story.

[Report]

A 'senior protection zone' has recently become a topic of discussion.

The traces of changing 'children' to 'seniors' have been found.

A children's protection zone has turned into a senior protection zone.

It has been confirmed that the word 'children' was mistakenly written due to a local government's error.

This seems to be a decisive snapshot showing the rapid aging of the population.

We have thoroughly investigated places where areas for children are being transformed into areas for seniors.

["Eolssigu Jeolssigu Chachacha~"]

Shaking the bell to the rhythm, they also hum the faint lyrics.

Puzzle play is also unfolding.

["Ding Dong Dang~ Well done."]

However, the teaching materials are unusual.

All the puzzles and blocks are for toddlers.

This is because it was a daycare center until three years ago.

[Yoo Hye-ryeon/Nursing Home Director: "These are items used in the daycare center. This is a microphone we used to sing with the children."]

As the number of students, which used to exceed 100, has dropped to less than half, the decision was ultimately made to convert it into a 'senior kindergarten'.

[Yoo Hye-ryeon/Nursing Home Director: "The only thing that could be changed was to a nursing home. So we thought about what to do and started the nursing home."]

The children's classroom has become a bedroom, and the outdoor playground has turned into a garden for the elderly.

This time, we visited a playground within an apartment complex that has been converted into a parking lot.

It had been a playground for 21 years, but with many cars and no children, it was decided by a resident vote two years ago.

This is where the swing used to be.

Now, vehicles are parked here.

[Lee Soon-jae/Local Laundry Owner: "In the past, many pregnant women would walk around in spring, but now it’s hard to find a pregnant woman."]

In the last five years, while the number of children's protection zones has decreased by over 500, the number of senior protection zones has increased by over 1,600.

It is true that the population structure has become one where canes are more needed than swings, but can children increase again in places where swings have completely disappeared?

This is KBS News, Choi In-young.