어린이집 교사의 사학연금 적용에 대한 고찰: 유보통합 시행 이후를 중심으로 = A Study on the Application of the Teachers’ Pension (TP) to Childcare Center Teachers: Focusing on the Post-Integration Period of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the challenges associated with applying the Teachers’ Pension (TP) to educators working in childcare centers and kindergartens following the implementation of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) integration policy. It also aims to provide a preliminary diagnosis of key policy issues. The main findings are as follows: First, in promoting Korea’s ECEC integration policy, the government introduced a unified administrative system by revising relevant laws and transferring jurisdiction from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to the Ministry of Education. However, despite this administrative unification, the legal statuses of childcare center teachers and kindergarten teachers remain distinct. In this policy context, discussions on applying the TP after the integration should be approached with care and precision. Second, the number of kindergartens and childcare facilities is decreasing, while the number of teachers is increasing, indicating a high potential for large-scale unemployment in the sector. The average length of service among private kindergarten staff is around five years, and the average standard monthly income is approximately 2.54 million KRW (for retirees). This figure, along with the 2.09 million KRW average for private kindergarten and childcare center teachers, is close to the minimum wage (2.01 million KRW in 2023). Third, while applying the TP to childcare centers could reduce the financial burden on institutions (private employers), it may be disadvantageous for employees with short-term service, and advantageous for those with long-term service. This study contributes as an initial inquiry into the implications of TP application, particularly focusing on aspects that may be difficult for the teachers themselves to identify, and provides empirical insight for future policy considerations.