Korea’s daycare center count falls 41% over a decade

What happened: South Korea's daycare center count fell for a 12th straight year in 2025, dropping to 26,064 from a 2013 peak of 43,770, a 41 percent decline amid low birth rates. Key numbers: 26,064 centers in 2025, down 4.8 percent from 2024. Enrollment fell to 887,764 from 941,303. 48.1 percent of children aged 0 to 6 attended daycare. Why it matters: Private, welfare corporation and home-based centers declined while public ones grew. The government is pursuing integration of early childhood education and childcare, targeting completion by 2030 through legislative changes.

South Korea's daycare center count fell for a 12th straight year in 2025, dropping to 26,064 from a 2013 peak of 43,770, a 41 percent decline amid low birth rates.

Private, welfare corporation and home-based centers declined while public ones grew. The government is pursuing integration of early childhood education and childcare, targeting completion by 2030 through legislative changes.