Despite the remarkable achievement of entering an era that boasts 30,000 dollars per capita, the Korean economy faces growing concerns over whether the quality of life is one of an advanced country, and whether the current growth strategy is still viable as we move forward. Indeed, the rapidly changing global environment has exposed Korea’s vulnerabilities, and the stagnation in major exporting industries, which have long driven growth, has stalled job creation. Further still, the number of jobs is expected to increasingly diminish in the long-term due to slowing growth, low birth rates, population aging, and technological progress.

One solution to secure sustainable and inclusive growth is to bolster the service industry; a vital component of the national economy which accounts for more than half of the national GDP and about 70% of total employment. However, current productivity is so low that little contribution has been made to economic growth and the creation of quality jobs. This underscores the significance of the service industry and the role it plays in improving quality of life and building a better future.

This study aims to present measures to drive growth and job creation, and to enhance the public service sector which is expected to be in growing demand. To that end, the problem areas and current status of five service industries―child care, lifelong learning, elderly care services, healthcare and tourism―are identified, and overseas cases are analyzed in-depth to draw the policy implications and introduce a direction for practical short- and long-term measures.

Preface
Executive Summary

Chapter 1 Introduction
　Section 1 Current Status and Perception of the Service Industry
　Section 2 Barriers to Service Industry Development
　Section 3 Service Industry: Quality of Life and Job Creation
　References

Chapter 2 Job Creation Through Improvements in Early Childhood Care and Education
　Section 1 Introduction
　Section 2 Overview of Early Childhood Care and Education Institutions by Country
　Section 3 Quality Regulations on Early Childhood Care and Education Institutions
　Section 4 Parental Participation in Early Childhood Care and Education Institutions
　Section 5 Childcare Practices and Financial Support for Early Childhood Care and Education Institutions
　Section 6 Conclusion
　References

Chapter 3 Lifelong Learning Participation and Fiscal Policy Implications
　Section 1 Introduction
　Section 2 Current Status and Challenges of Lifelong Learning Participation
　Section 3 Policy Directions and International Case Studies
　References
　Appendix

Chapter 4 Enhancing Elderly Care Services for an Aging Society
　Section 1 Introduction
　Section 2 Demand and Supply Forecasts for Elderly Care Services
　Section 3 Improving Job Quality in Elderly Care Services
　Section 4 Conclusion and Policy Implications
　References

Chapter 5 Promoting the Health Management Service Industry
　Section 1 Introduction
　Section 2 Current Status of the Health Management Service Industry
　Section 3 Economic Impact of Health Management: Case Study on Obesity Management
　Section 4 Health Management Service Promotion and Regulations
　Section 5 Policy Measures for Health Management Services Based on Advanced Country Case Studies
　Section 6 Conclusion
　References

Chapter 6 Strategies for Revitalizing the Tourism Industry
　Section 1 The Role of the Tourism Industry in the Korean Economy
　Section 2 Current Status and Promotion Strategies of Korea’s Tourism Industry
　Section 3 Case Study on Japan and Comparison with Korea
　Section 4 Improving Policy Governance for Effective Performance
　References
　Appendix

Chapter 7 Conclusion

ABSTRACT