This article examines the factors which have made Science High Schools in South Korea into prestige schools for entering top-level universities, by focusing on the equalization system of high schools.Science High Schools are not only the first school for the gifted and talented but have also played a primary role in the gifted education system in South Korea.

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Some of the perspectives presented in this paper are shaped by the experiences of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES). The Japan Comparative Education Society (JCES) was one of the five bodies that came together to form the WCCES in 1970. The JCES has thus played a major role in Comparative Education not only nationally but also globally.
Within the field of comparative education, the nation state has traditionally been a dominant unit of analysis. The nation state remains a meaningful unit for many purposes, but much exciting work can be done with other units. Concerning conceptual frameworks, the field has been dominated by the social sciences and has followed fashions of that sector; but it could usefully branch out and become more pluralistic in many of its approaches. The field of comparative education also needs to be aware of the extent to which it does and does not have a distinct identity. It has particular overlap with the field of international education. In some circumstances such overlap can be beneficial, but it can also be problematic.
A further section of this paper focuses on language issues. Scholarly communities around the world face challenges arising from the extent to which their languages are or are not widely used elsewhere in the world. Japanese scholars perhaps face greaterchallenges in this domain than do scholars in English-speaking countries, for example; but those who do overcome the language barrier can make important contributions to cross-cultural dialogue.
The era of globalization provides both opportunities and challenges.Improved communications and cheaper travel provide access to information on a scale which was previously unimaginable. Globalization also reduces the extent to which policy-makers and practitioners can limit their horizons to local matters, and thus increases the interest in comparative studies.However, globalization requires adjustment of conceptual frameworks and demands new approaches to the field.
The JCES has much to be proud of in its four decades of history. It also has much to look forward to;and counterpart bodies around the world will greatly appreciate the leadership and collaboration which the JCES will continue to provide in the global arena.

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