ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Korea. Specifically, the chapter gives a historical perspective on ECEC services, including why the services are considered importance and how they are perceived, details current trends and considerations, and looks at the future of ECEC services in Korea. Furthermore, the study presents a review of the research on beliefs or perceptions about ECEC services to illustrate the gaps between the ideals of ECEC policies and the reality of ECEC practices in Korea. The chapter concludes with some of the main challenges to developing ECEC practices and policies in Korea.
