South Korean five-year-olds lead the world in learning abilities, but lag in socio-emotional development

South Korean five-year-olds rank first globally in learning abilities like reading and math. An OECD analysis revealed Korean children excel in literacy and numeracy, scoring highest among eight participating nations. However, their socio-emotional development placed them in the middle tier. The International Early Learning and Wellbeing Study surveyed nearly 24,000 five-year-olds, highlighting the need to address educational disparities and focus on parent-child interaction.