The Establishment and Development of Primary and Secondary Education in South Korea During 1945-1979

South Korea is a highly developed country that has achieved a great success in economics and social development in a relatively short period of time, about 20-30 years. This allows historians and economists to talk about "the Korean economic miracle." Considering the "Korean miracle", economists and historians distinguish a number of reasons that led to this phenomenon. One of these reasons is a high level of education. The South Korean government was able to achieve a remarkable success in creating primary and secondary education on the basis of achievements in education during the country’s being under Japanese colonial rule and the United States Army Military Government. The President Park Chung Hee (1963-1979) struggled with the country's backwardness and weakness. During this period of his rule there was made the education system that, with minor modifications, is still in effect. In South Korea that has poor natural resources the education was seen as one of the main factors of economic development. It seemed to be the only way to overcome the poverty. The changes that have taken place in education in this period made the basis of the subsequent economic growth of the country, fully justifying the importance of investment in human capital, and, above all - in education.