On April 20th, an article titled “Pusan National University (PNU) Workplace Nursery Admission Inquiry” was posted on the suggestion box on the PNU website. The writer introduced himself as a current PNU research student after receiving a doctor’s degree and received both bachelor's and master’s degrees at the same university. A post-graduate research student here stands for a graduate student who received a master's or doctor’s degree but has not finished their graduation dissertation.

According to the article, the writer inquired about workplace nursery admission to the headquarters of PNU and got an answer that children of post-graduate research students cannot enter the nursery. According to Article 63 (2) and Article 66 (2) of the “PNU Workplace Nursery Operation Rules”, the children of a research student are not eligible for admission. After graduation of the research student, their children cannot use the facility anymore.

The writer then argued that it is unfair to allow children of undergraduate and graduate students to enter the workplace nursery, while children of post-graduate research students are rejected. He said, “Children of those who are too young to get married are entitled to enter the nursery. It does not make sense that a research student who regularly commutes to the university to obtain a doctor’s degree cannot bring their children to the facility.”

Referring to the headquarters of PNU, the number of listed post-graduate research students at PNU is 1094. Research students point out that, regarding their age, their children should be eligible to enter the workplace nursery. Jo Ah-Ra (Master of Political Science & Diplomacy, 18) said, “Lots of women with career breaks are studying at graduate schools. The regulation on admission to workplace nursery scheme should become more flexible, considering the right to education.”

Other national universities in South Korea permit children of research students to enter their university’s workplace nursery. Only 3 out of 10 local national universities, including PNU, Jeonbuk National University, and Chungnam National University do not allow post-graduate research students’ children to enter the nursery facility. An anonymous official from Kyungpook National University’s workplace nursery said, “Although many people are still on the waiting list, we have kept accepting the children of research students since it opened in 2017.”

The PNU headquarters says that it’s a decision of the Operation Rule that the nursery does not admit research students’ children and taking in those children is daunting in the light of overflowing demand. An anonymous official from the general affairs department at PNU said, “We are entrusting childcare through affiliated nurseries, but still many children are waiting for their number. We are considering various measures. Financial problems should be first be solved.”

Meanwhile, PNU opened an affiliated nursery in 1995 and a workplace nursery in 2017, receiving 95 and 223 children respectively. According to the university headquarters, 29 and 25 children were waiting for the workplace nursery admission at the time of applying for the first and second admission in 2021.