Short Term Study Tour for Elementary Students Costs Average 3 Million Won

"Over 3 million won for a 2-4 week study tour overseas."

Many parents send their children to foreign countries for the study tour even though it presses the household budget. However, customers complain that, despite the high cost of the study tour, the study tour is not carried out as it was advertised.

A survey of Korea Consumer Protection Board on 229 parent who had sent their children to the foreign countries for the study tour, 85.2 percent of them paid over 3 million won for the study tour of their elementary school kids. One out of three paid over 4 million won and 10 percent had paid over 5 million won.

And 84.9 percent of the respondents said that the cost became a burden on their household budget. 22.3 percent of students who participated in the study tour were absented from their class.

Despite the revealed problems, 83.8 percent of parents want to send their children to foreign countries for study tour.

45.7 percent of parents complained that the study tour was not carried out as the agency had advertised. And 37.6 percent pointed out that there was no chaperone for safety matters accompanied during the study tour.

Sohn Young-Ho, leader of Product Transaction Team KCPB, said "since the overseas short term study tour is not classified as `study abroad` companies or individuals can arrange the study tours without business registration."

Heon-Jin Lee mungchii@donga.com