“Is 14,000 Won an Hour Fair for Helping Two Kids Home Plus Meals, Bathing, and Cleaning?”

CCTV Agreement, Health Certificate, and Criminal Background Check Required
"Workload Is Excessive" vs "Just Don't Apply If You Disagree"

Debate has erupted online over a part-time 'homework assistant' job that not only requires helping two children return home, but also involves preparing meals, assisting with showers, and cleaning the house—all for an hourly wage of 14,000 won. Since the responsibilities extend beyond simply bringing the children home to include childcare and housework, some critics have pointed out that “this is essentially looking for both a babysitter and a housekeeper at the same time.”

On the 17th, a post capturing a job advertisement for a homework assistant posted on the secondhand trading platform Danggeun gained widespread attention on social media and social networking services (SNS). The poster was looking for someone to care for a 7-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter, offering working hours from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays from Monday to Friday—a total of about three hours per day. The hourly wage was listed as 14,000 won.

The hourly basic rate for the hourly-based childcare service in 2026 is 12,790 KRW, and the comprehensive type is 16,620 KRW. The basic type allows for activities such as escorting children to and from school, playtime, and providing meals or snacks prepared in advance by the parents, but general household chores including cooking are excluded from the duties. The photo is not related to any specific content of the article. The Asia Business Daily

The main issue is that the responsibilities were not limited to just accompanying the children home; other tasks were clearly specified as well. The assistant is expected to arrive about an hour before the children return to take care of housework such as cleaning, and once the children arrive, to help them shower and prepare their dinner. The poster wrote, “Since both parents work, I hope the helper can arrive about an hour before the children return to finish housework, and then assist with showering and dinner once the children are home.”

The requirements were also quite specific. The poster noted a preference for a physically fit woman in her 50s with childcare experience. Additional preferences included candidates with prior experience working at a kindergarten or daycare center, those who live nearby, and are not employed elsewhere during the day. For safety reasons, agreement to in-house CCTV monitoring was required, along with submission of a health check certificate and a criminal background check. The ad also stated a preference for someone who would refrain from using a cellphone or watching TV during working hours to focus on the children, and who could work additional hours in emergency situations.

On the 17th, a post capturing a job recruitment notice for a House helper uploaded on the secondhand trading platform Danggeun spread widely on social media and social networking services (SNS). SNS

Once the advertisement was made public, a wave of criticism followed online, with many stating, “the hourly wage is too low for the level of work required.” One user sharing the post pointed out, “There are two children, yet the hourly wage is not double,” adding, “They’re calling it a homework assistant, but the role involves housework, feeding, and bathing as well.” Other users similarly commented that “this isn’t just escorting the children but requires both childcare and housework,” that “expressions like 'cleaning, etc.' make the scope of work unclear,” and that “just bathing and feeding two children at once is a heavy workload.” On the other hand, some have argued that since the hourly wage and job conditions have been disclosed, the final decision lies with job seekers. They noted that since the employer did not hide any conditions, it is up to applicants to decide whether the pay or scope of work is acceptable, and to choose not to apply if they believe it is not.

Meanwhile, in 2026, the hourly rate for the basic hourly-type childcare service is 12,790 won, and the comprehensive type is 16,620 won per hour. The basic type allows for activities such as dropping off and picking up children, playtime, and providing meals or snacks prepared in advance by parents, but general household chores, including cooking, are excluded from the work. The comprehensive type, on the other hand, adds tasks such as washing and organizing the child’s laundry, cleaning play areas, cooking for the child, and doing the dishes—a broader scope of child-related chores. Even then, however, the structure does not allow for unrestricted general housework, such as cleaning the entire house. For government-provided childcare services, when one provider cares for two children at the same time, a 25% additional child discount is applied.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.