KB Financial and the Ministry of Health and Welfare Launch ‘Night Extended Care Project’ to Care for Children Aged 6 to 12 Until Midnight

KB Financial Group (Chairman Yang Jong-hee) announced on the 28th that the ‘Night Extended Care Project’, which is being promoted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, will be officially implemented in care facilities nationwide starting January next year.

This project is a public-private partnership initiative being carried out under a memorandum of understanding between KB Financial and the Ministry of Health and Welfare signed last October, aimed at providing stable extended care for over 1,000 village care facilities, including 360 after-school care facilities across the country.

The existing 360 local child centres and Together Care Centres, which were previously operated only until 8 PM, will now be expanded to operate until 10 PM/midnight.

The aim is to reduce the gap in night care so that children can stay safely even in the absence of their parents, and to support parents who work at night so they can focus on their livelihoods with peace of mind. In particular, in emergency situations, anyone can leave children aged 6 to 12 regardless of their previous usage. Additionally, the safety of children and staff commuting to and from over 1,000 village care facilities nationwide will also be supported.

KB Financial will support a total of 6 billion won for the night extended care project over three years from 2026 to 2028. The funding will be used for infrastructure improvements such as ▲ renovation of old facilities, ▲ operation of pick-up and drop-off vehicles and support for safe night returns, and ▲ a one-stop guidance system for guardians who are users.

A representative from KB Financial Group stated, “The official implementation of the night extended care project is an important turning point where a care model designed together by the public and private sectors is realised as policy,” and added, “Beyond simple financial support, we plan to expand the role of the private sector linked to public policy, contributing to the creation of an inclusive care ecosystem where the social safety net operates.”

Meanwhile, KB Financial has been consistently providing on-site support to strengthen care. Last year, in order to alleviate the burden of low birth rates on small businesses, it collaborated with eight major local governments nationwide to support child care services and substitute personnel costs for parental leave, and in schools, it supported the establishment of new and expanded elementary care classrooms and hub care centres.