Students from South Korea
The school system in South Korea is hard for the students. Kim Soyeon Kang told us about the education system of her country. She and her sister study art at the Seoul Women’s University.
The school system in South Korea is really hard, the situation at the universities is similar.
Instead of parties and outdoor activities the young people are
put under pressure to learn and get high scores. Relaxing is possible only rarely during the weekends and holidays.
Kim Soyeon Kang tells us about her everyday life as a student. She overnights in one of the classes at the university, because her hometown is far away, and it takes more than one and half an hour to get there.
Renting a flat or a room is too expensive, therefore many students stay over the night at the university sleeping on
mattresses. University studies are very expensive in South Korea. Only wealthy people can afford it. The parents of Soyeon Kang got a bank loan and can cover her study cost.
Because of the pressure at school and university many young people attempt a suicide. Therefore at the train stations you can find glass doors preventing from jumping under the trains.
Kim Soyeon Kang talks to us also about the role of woman in the south Korean- society. A woman and man do not have equal rights. Apart from the career a Korean woman has to manage the family, children and she has to take care of her husband. Despite all difficulties, the women in South Korea believe in real love. On the other hand they have to get married until they are 27 or 28 years old.
Anna Lewandowska studies Korea studies. She was a guest student at the
Seoul woman’s university for half a year and she spoke with Kim Soyeon Kang for
YCBS.
Author: Anna Lewandowska
Moderation by: Alexandra Hirschfeld
