This study investigated the changes of chlidcare centers' status, establishment and
licence standards, and childcare publicness 20 years after Infant and Early Child Care
Act(IECC Act) was enacted in Korea. For this purpose, we examined the trends of
establishment status and explored the changes of licence standards sorted as location,
type, size, area, indoor-outdoor facilities, playgrounds, in accordance with the revision
of the IECC Act from 1991 to 2013. In addition, we organized the concepts and
standards for the public service of childcare. Finally, we presented some problems
found in the IECC Act and the implementing rules about childcare center's
establishment and licence standards. We provided some suggestions in order to
improve the institution and ensure the publicness. Through these efforts, we tried to
contribute the improvement of the quality of childcare in Korea.