6 Times As Many Junior High School Students in Kangnam District Go Abroad to Study Compared to Students in Other Districts

While the fervor to transfer to Kangnam schools in pursuit of a better educational environment intensifies, it is reported that 6 times as many junior high school students in the Kangnam district voluntarily go abroad for studies compared to students in other districts, a leading cause of the trend of studying abroad at an early age.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) on the 13th, students who left high or junior high school to study abroad or to immigrate numbered 4376 persons in 2001 and increased by 18 percent (669 persons) from 3707 persons in 2000.

The number of high school students numbered 1908, similar to 2000 figures (1906), but junior high school students numbered 2468 persons, which increased by 37 percent from 1801 persons in 2000.

In categorizing the students who left junior high school to study abroad or to immigrate by the Office of Education, there were △91 respectively in Eastern and Sungbook, △126 in Sungdong, △128 in Dongjak, △144 in Central, △151 in Southern, △182 in Western, △248 in Northern, △316 in Gangseo, △390 in Gangdong, and △601 in Gangnam.

52.9 percent of the students who left junior high school were from the 3 districts of Kangnam, Kangdong, and Kangseo (Mokdong) where the standard of living and educational enthusiasm is rather higher. There were six times as many students from Kangnam as those from Eastern or Sungbook district.

The number of junior high school students who went abroad or immigrated as part of the trend are increasing every year - 1422 persons in 1998, 1673 persons in 1999, and 1801 persons in 2000.

An official of SMOE said, "Sometimes there is more room for a student quota in the Kangnam district than in other districts because more students leave their junior high schools in the Kangnam district."

Seong-Chul Hong sungchul@donga.com