한국과 일본의 보육정책 특성 = Analysing Differences in Socio-institutional Conditions in the Child-Care Policy Between Korea and Japan

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 연구는 한국과 일본의 보육정책의 특성을 고찰하고, 보육정책을 둘러싼 한국과 일본의 사회제도적 환경의 차이를 규명하였다. 한국의 보육정책은 정부의 공적 책임을 최소화하면서 민간의 참여를 촉진하는 방향으로 전개되어온 반면, 일본의 보육정책은 정부의 공적 책임을 명시하면서 동일 행정구역내 지역 · 세대소득간 격차를 최소화하는 방향으로 전개되어 왔다. 이렇게 상이하게 전개되어 온 양국의 보육정책 형성의 이면에는 일본이 한국에 비해 산업화를 일찍 경험함으로써 사회복지 공급을 위한 재정적 환경이 일찍부터 정비되었다는 점, 산업화과정에서 발생하게 되는 도시문제의 해결을 위한 지역주민의 조직화된 요구가 한국보다 빠른 시기에 사회적으로 표출되었다는 점, 그리고 일본의 각 지방자치체들이 이들의 요구를 적극적으로 수용하고자 했던 점을 들 수 있다.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of the child-care policy in Korea and Japan and recommend come policy implications by identifying the differences in socio-institutional conditions in child-care policy between both countries. The child-care policy in Korea had focused on minimizing public involvement while encouraging private participations for child care. On the contrary, the Japanese government have officially taken responsibility for the child-care by attempting to mitigate gaps in welfare service provision between classes and sub-urban areas. It is clear that Japan is more advanced than Korea in terms of introducing child-care service provisions and policy initiatives. The reasons for such a child-care service gap between two countries can be identified as follows. Firstly, needless to say, Japan experienced its industrialization earlier than Korea. We see that most economically advanced countries such as the US, Japan, and Western Europe have established a well organised welfare service system. Second, it is important to emphasize the role of Japan's civic organizations. From the early 1960s, they have conducted social movements to force the government to activate the child-care policy. It is contrast to Korea that civic organizations have just begun to be interested in the child-care issues from the early 1990s. Lastly, in addition to the role of civic organizations, Japan's local authorities have played a critical role in localizing and initiating the child-care policy. Since the 1960s, they have made great efforts to find and meet the local-specific needs for child-care service. Such Japanese experiences would give us to think of making the child-care policy in Korea. As a first step to make the local-specific child care service provision system establish successfully, the decentralization of government functions and the efforts of local civil society should be crucial.