South Korea’s Education Success Is Faltering in Evolving Economy
- Education gives smallest return to economy in developed world
- Obsession with glamor colleges saps workforce competitiveness
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South Korea’s education system, a key driver of the nation’s economic success, is facing increased criticism ranging from failing to meet the demands of a modern labor market to contributing to worsening mental health among the young.
Korea has the highest share of college graduates in the developed world and its citizens’ educational zeal has been praised by US President Joe Biden. The current system helped the nation rise from the ashes of war in the early 1950s to become a manufacturing powerhouse.