Things I Dislike About Korea - Part I

      The good news is that this new, continual installment titled “The Things I Like/Dislike about Korea” will normally be a light-hearted, satirical insight into my daily life. The bad new is that this first entry won't be light-hearted at all.

      A few days ago, every Korean high-schooler in grade 3 (the equivalent of a Junior/Senior) had to take the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT) as their college entrance exam. This exam is insanely stressful and is weighted so heavily that it potentially determines the rest of each young Korean's life. Their final year of high school is solely spent focusing on taking this one test but preparation usually begins in middle school. After attending public school during the day, students will attend private tutors or hagwons until 11 or 12 at night for extra practice. They'll go home to do homework, catch a few hours of sleep, and then repeat...every day for an entire year (remember, school is year round here).

      As for the test day itself, I've never experienced such a quiet morning. The usual soundtrack to Korea consists of clamoring people, car horns, and trucks with speakers driving around announcing what they have to sell you. Not this particular morning. The schools were crowded with Grade 1 and 2 high-school students before the sun rose to cheer on the test takers, businesses delayed opening to keep people off of the roads, and 'no fly overs' were issued to all aircraft within earshot of the schools. Mothers formed prayer circles for the duration of the test – from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon and the police were there, on standby, the entire time. Sounds extreme, right? It gets more ridiculous. Students must bring their own lunch; the cafeteria will not serve food for fear that they will be blamed if a student becomes ill and does poorly. Within the classroom, supervising teachers are not allowed to walk around because their movements could be a distraction to the students. No one is allowed to wear perfume or cologne on this day as it too, may be a distraction.

      So why am I telling you all of this? Is it the test that I dislike? How would I know? I've never taken it. Here's the part that I take issue with...child suicide rates skyrocket during high-school. Especially directly before and after the CSAT. The societal pressure is so intense that the - and I know it is horrible to say this - “accepted” out is to take one's own life. Korea has the highest suicide rate amongst the world’s 30 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. In a 2010 government report, suicide was cited as the number one cause of death for those under 40. Presently, 35 Koreans a day, on average, are killing themselves. More specifically in 2011, almost one child (under 18) per day committed suicide. Last year, 359 documented cases of youths in this country took their life and the overall suicide rate in Korea is now more than twice as high as in the United States.

      There are a number of good things one can say about the Korean education system and why the students excel in everything. They're way above the international averages in all subject matter...but at what cost?