Message from the President

Greetings from the president of Korea Institute of Child Care and Education

Hello.
I am Ock Kyeung Hwang, the 7th President of the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education.

The unprecedented low birth rates in South Korea today are threatening national sustainability. There is growing anxiety about the potential burden that may be brought by a “world without children” to society and economy. Infants born today are bound to live in an era where the population of their age group barely exceeds 200,000s, and they will be spending most of their day in facilities or institutions and growing up with significantly reduced time in which they receive family care.

The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education (KICCE) seeks to change the community environment in which young children live by redesigning policies based on scientific research with the goal of supporting young children in South Korea to “advance toward a promising future”. We will strive to achieve a “childcare well-being” society by suggesting future directions for education and childcare based on the integration of kindergartens and daycare centers, which has been a task that has remained stagnant for over three decades, and by laying the foundation for evidence-based policymaking with an integrated management system for early childhood statistics.

Research and investment in early childhood and childhood are laying the groundwork for a warm and productive future society. We at the KICCE are committed to our mission to help young children be born healthy and get off to the best start they can in life regardless of their circumstances.

We look forward to your tremendous support and interest in our commitments to creating “a healthier, more fun, and more enjoyable childhood”.

Thank you.