Fulbright U.S. Education Center

Young Ick Lew, Chair Professor at Yonsei University gave a wonderful overview of pre-modern and modern Korean history earlier this week to our American International Education Administrator (IEA) Grantees.  As luck would have it, he visited Fulbright for this presentation on the same day that the Korea Times carried a review of his new book, just published by the Royal Asiatic Society.  The book is entitled Early Korean Encounters With the United States and Japan.  As the Korea Times article notes in part, “Today, intense public outrage over American beef imports is fueling the summer heat, and while partnership among East Asian countries is a top priority, unresolved issues like the one concerning World War II sex slaves (“comfort women”) continue to haunt Korea-Japan relations.  A book written in English takes us back to the late 19th century, the beginning of it all. “Early Korean Encounters With the United States and Japan” gives an overview of Korea’s history from the Joseon Kingdom’s (1392-1910) first opening to the West in 1882 to its demise under Japanese colonial power in 1910.”  The book draws extensively on Professor Lew’s research over the past 30 years and is written in a manner that should interest all Americans involved with Korea.

According to press reports, the number of elementary and middle school students studying overseas doubled over the past two years.  The Korea Times reported that  “In 2007, a total of 15,237 children from elementary and middle schools left Korea, compared to 7,090 in 2005. Most studied overseas for six months or longer, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. The departure of those in primary schools has shown a two-fold increase each year since 2005. It rose to 8,298 in 2007 up from 2,453 in 2005. Middle school students showed a moderate increase from 2,520 in 2005 to 4,379 last year. However, the number of high school students studying overseas is falling. Peaking at 3,466 in 2006, the figure dropped to 2,560 last year”

An article in today’s Korea Times reports that the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to allow hagwons to run until 11 p.m. from July. Currently, private cram schools have to close before 10 p.m. The curfew reflects concerns about students’ health and growing private education costs.  However, teacher’s groups are protesting the move. 

Citing information from the Korean Statistics Information Service the article reports that  “last year 77 percent of students received private education paying on average 220,000 won per month; 89 percent of elementary school students, 75 percent of middle school students and 55 percent of high school students.”

The New York Times today carried an interesting article on South Korea’s “wild geese” fathers, sometimes just referred to as “goose” fathers.  This refers to the trend in recent years for Korean mothers and children to live overseas in English speaking countries for the benefit of the children’s education, while the fathers stay at home, flying like geese to visit their families a couple of times each year. The article estimates the number of Korean school children living overseas with their mothers at over 40,000.   The article is entitled “For Studies in English, Koreans Say Goodbye to Dad.”