The socialization of childcare and a missed opportunity through path dependence: The case of South Korea

Abstract

The paper aims to investigate how the policy proposal to socialize childcare in South Korea was discarded by the Ministry of Gender Equality (MGE) under the Roh Moo-hyun government (2003–2007). Building on in-depth interviews and policy documents, the paper proposes that there was a policy shift in the MGE’s policy adoption resulting from the combined effects of path dependence and the dominance of neo-liberal policy ideas. I argue that these existing political realities hindered socialization efforts even when there was recognition of the need for public childcare provision within and outside the MGE.