The purpose of this study is to analyze shifts in the character education policy from the birth of the character education policy to the current strengthening period based on the ‘historical new institutionalism’ theory and to derive the mode of the movement. Character education policy has been strengthened and developed due to the combined effect of structural, institutional and actor factors. The the character education policy, which was initiated by ‘liberation’, was restricted due to ‘neoliberal education policy’, ‘economic growth centered social structure’ and ‘change of government’. In addition, it is promoted through ‘Korean War’, ‘formation of public opinion’, ‘inhuman incidents and accidents’, ‘development of advanced science and technology’, ‘change of regime’, ‘social consciousness’. Especially, ‘inhuman incidents / accidents’ that appear at the beginning of policy change caused the character education policy to have a short-term and allopathy and became a decisive factor for policy change. Through the results of this path analysis, the character education policy were influenced by various historical contexts. In other words, it originally changed from being oriented to individual s virtue and democracy called ‘humanitarianism’ to another purpose, then returned to its original purpose, and then changed its policy management method and evolved its path.