[Editorial] Solutions needed for business that don’t accept customers with children

A “no kids zone” sign is posted at the entrance to a café. (Hankyoreh Archive)

In fall 2016, a restaurant on Jeju Island refused service to a family accompanied by teenagers and children under 13. When the family lodged a complaint, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) recommended corrective action for what it ruled “age-based discrimination.” The commission made the right call. It’s time now to find a rational solution both restaurant owners and customers can agree on with the issue of businesses that don’t want to accept customers with children.

The NHRCK’s conclusion that designating an establishment as a “no kids zone” without rational grounds cannot be viewed as business freedom. The commission took issue was “ruling out all restaurant patronage by any children and guardians with children because of the unruly actions of some children or impolite behavior of some guardians.”

Restaurant and cafe owners who have run their businesses as “no kids zones” are sure to object to the commission’s decision. It’s understandable. The problem stems from parents who fail to adequately control the behavior of the children accompanying them. In some cases, children increase the risk of an action or engage in behavior that is disruptive to other customers. That said, it’s beyond the pale for service business owners to simply refuse to accept any customers accompanied by children.

Customers with small children need a new understanding and attitude on the polite use of public spaces. If we do live in a reality where many customers prefer to patronize “no kids zones,” then an NHRCK recommendation alone is unlikely to halt the spread of such establishments. For a customer to receive proper treatment, they need to understand the owners’ complaints. We should also consider instituting pricing systems where customers with young children pay more if they create a burden for proprietors. We could also set aside places that families can use safely at an extra charge, or set prices in a way that takes the number of business users into account. There are any number of open-minded approaches to consider.

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Caption: A “no kids zone” sign is posted at the entrance to a café. (Hankyoreh Archive)