International Credential Evaluation

South Korea

Country Information

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia, located in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It shares land borders with North Korea to the north, and oversea borders with China to the west and Japan to the east. South Korea lies in the North Temperate Zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It comprises an estimated 50 million residents distributed over 99,392 km2 (38,375 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 10 million.

The Asian continent and the surrounding seas affect South Korea’s temperate climate. It has four distinct seasons, with windy cold winters and rainy hot summers. Spring and autumn are sunny and generally dry. Seoul has an annual average temperature of 12.2 C. It can reach as high as 38.4 C in the summer, with average temperatures above 20 C from June through September, and can drop as low as –19.2 C in the winter (Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2006). Rainfall in South Korea concentrates in the summer months and averages more than 1,000 millimeters annually.

Educational History

Education is a top priority for the people of South Korea. They are among the most educated people in the entire world.

The first formal education in South Korea was established in the Three Kingdoms period through state-run institutions to prepare children from upper-class families for positions within the government. The curriculum focused on refining the moral character of the students through studies of Chinese classics of Confucianism and Buddhism. In the mid-10^th century education was used as a platform to advance ones social standing by preparing students to pass the civil service examination. At this time, women

were restricted to receiving informal education within the home.

By the 19^th century, Western-style education was prevalent in Korea. State-run schools were open to all Koreans regardless of their social class. Many schools employed missionary teachers who provided instruction in English, with the assistance of interpreters. The curriculum included English, mathematics, history, geography, natural science, and political science. In addition, specific schools opened their doors to female students for the first time. Examinations based on Confucian classics were abolished.

The modernization of the educational system in Korea was interrupted by the Japanese occupation in 1910. Japanese became the required medium of instruction throughout all institutions. Koreans were restricted to study literacy, technical skills and political indoctrination, whereas Japanese students were allowed to receive instruction in advanced science and management.

By the 1940’s only 30% of Korea children attended primary school, 20% going on to secondary school. Very few Koreans received a higher education. When the occupation ended in 1945, the Korean educational system was in dire shape, with a critical shortage of educators, as the institutions had been run by Japanese personnel.

In 1948, Korea became a republic and adopted an American style educational system with a 6-3-3-4 pattern. The Ministry of Education (MOE) was established to centralize education; each province and major city developed a seven-member board of education to maintain and manage the primary and secondary education along with other related activities within their jurisdiction. Within 5 years, primary education (six years) became compulsory for all Koreans.

In the 1960’s, MOE concentrated on creating a balance between cultural tradition and educational development. Within those efforts, the middle school examination was eliminated in efforts to move away from an exam-centered education to a more balanced curriculum that focused on the students’ individual needs and the economic development of the nation. The high school entrance exam administered by individual high schools was replaced by a single qualifying exam used across the country.

Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the schools graduated the skilled workers that the economy needed to continue to develop and modernize. Primary and middle school programs, funded by the government, provided a renovation in educational objectives, curriculum and teaching methods. To obtain admission to a university, Korean high school students were required to pass a MOE administered examination as well as an entrance examination administered by the individual university. In 1981, MOE introduced the Scholastic Achievement Examination for College Entrance for all high school graduates wishing to pursue a higher education in South Korea. The exam was updated in 1994, renamed the College Scholastic Ability Test to offer a more liberal high school education and provide more consistency to universities. The test initially offered different tracks for students looking to pursue different areas of study but was streamlined in 2004 to one test for all students. In January 2001 the Ministry of Education was renamed the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MOE & HRD) to include the establishment, overseeing, and coordination of human resources development policies at the national level.

Korean education continued to focus on a variety of quality issues throughout the 90’s. District offices were established at the provincial level, proposals were submitted to increase the educational budget, strengthen international competiveness within higher education, and stricter accountability requirements were developed for private schools. The Presidential Commission for the New Educational Community, established in 1998, managed the progress of educational reform and formed educational communities led by teachers, parents and citizen associations. In 2002, three years of middle school became compulsory across the nation in addition to the six years of primary school. To this day, high school remains optional.

The national school curriculum is continually revised based on the national and social needs of the country. The latest revision was completed in 2004. The current curriculum emphasizes the individual student needs by reducing the study loads for each subject and increasing self-directed activities. Grades 1-10 cover a Basic Common Curriculum and in grades 11-12 students move to a Selected Curriculum, where students are provided the choice to focus on developing the abilities and skills that are essential to progressing in their chosen career path.

School Year

Students attend classes five and a half days a week beginning in March through the following February. Summer vacation typically begins at the end of June and ends in August. Winter break begins at the end of December and lasts through February. Primary school class periods average 40 minutes, middle school 45 minutes and high school 50 minutes.

Grading Scale

Evaluations of curricular activities are provided in descriptive sentences for grade 1 and grade 2. Grades 3 – 9 are evaluated on a five level grading scale. In 2005, the high school evaluation system was updated to a grading system utilizing 9 levels or ranks. The new system uses a relative evaluation of a student’s achievement compared to other students within the school.

Korean students in primary through secondary education are rarely failed, as the emphasis is on moving them forward rather than holding them back.

Grades 3 - 9

Score	Description	Suggested U.S. Equivalent
90 – 100	Su	A
80 – 89	Wu	B
70 – 79	Mi	C
60 – 69	Yang	D
59 or below	Ga	F

Grades 10-12

Rank	% of students	Grade
1	4%	A+
2	7%	A
3	12%	B+
4	17%	B
5	20%	C+
6	17%	C
7	12%	D+
8	7%	D
9	4%	F

Preschool Education

Preschool education is provided for children aged 4-6. It is optional and not considered a part of the formal school system, therefore tuition is charged. The national kindergarten curriculum was first published in 1969 and centers on the development of the cognitive abilities of the child through a variety of stimulating and age appropriate educational activities. Policies to increase the availability of preschool education, including tuition waivers and subsidies for low-income families, have been implemented by the government.

Primary Education

The purpose of primary education, according to the Korean Lifelong Education Act, is to help students acquire basic abilities, skills and habits that are essential for learning and daily life. The six years of primary school are compulsory and free. Students typically begin at age 6-7. Students attend class 25-32 per week, 34 weeks per year. (Grade 1 only 30 weeks). The language of instruction is Korean. English is taught as part of the basic curriculum 1 class hour per week starting in grade 3, in grades 5-6, 2 hours per week. The mandatory subjects include: Korean Language Arts, Ethics, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Practical Skills, Physical Education, Music, Arts and Foreign Language (English). There is also an emphasis on creative optional activities to stimulate self- directed learning abilities.

Middle School Education

The Korean Lifelong Education Act states that middle school education helps students acquire basic abilities and skills that are essential for learning, daily life and democratic citizenship on the basis of primary school education. Middle school is also compulsory and free. Students attend 34 class hours of study per week, with 34 school weeks per year. The language of instruction is Korean. Middle school includes the same mandatory subjects as primary school. Students are offered 4 additional optional subjects a week, one for creative activity and three for further subject matter, which includes an elective course such as practical foreign language, literature, or science. Upon successful completion, students receiving a Middle School Diploma (Chung Hakkyo Choeupchang).

Students are allowed to skip up to 2 grade levels during primary and middle school, a student may complete middle school education as early as age 13.

High School Education

High school consists of the final three years required in order to be eligible to take the university entrance exam. High school is not mandatory in South Korea and is not funded by the Korean government; though the fees are standardized by the government. High School education helps students acquire the abilities and skills that are essential for progressing along their chosen careers and becoming world citizens, according to the Korean Lifelong Education Act. Middle school graduates or those with equivalent educational backgrounds may enter high schools. Both public and private high schools are required to follow the national curriculum. Though the language of instructions is Korean, students can spend up to half of their day learning English during grades 11-12.

High schools are divided into two main categories: general academic and vocational high school. The general high schools include a few specialized high schools that focus on science, foreign language, arts and physical education, and admit high achieving middle school graduates with high ability in the specific fields. Vocational high schools include a general vocational curriculum and specialized schools that focus on agriculture, commerce, fishery and technology or industry. The vocational curriculum includes up to 60% of the general academic curriculum courses, the remainder focused on the vocational subjects.

Students are admitted to the general academic schools through a qualifying examination, then they are assigned by lottery to the high schools in their residential district. Applicants to vocational high schools, after passing the qualifying examination, are allowed to choose their school. Schools keep detailed student achievement records, which are used in addition to examination results for university admission.

High school students attend 36 class hours of study per week, with 34 school weeks per year. Grade 10 includes the same mandatory subjects as primary and middle school. Students are offered 8 additional optional subjects a week, 2-3 allocated to supplementary student of the basic common subjects, 2-3 for elective subjects and 1, if available to creative optional activities. In grades 11-12, students choose one of three academic tracks: humanities and social studies, science or vocational studies. Those who select the vocational track must complete at least 82 units of general academic subjects, of which 56 must be from the national basic common subjects. Upon graduation, students completing the humanities and social sciences or social studies track receive a General High School Diploma/Certificate of Graduation. In order to be eligible for university study, students must successfully complete the College Scholastic Ability Test. Those completing the vocational track receive a Vocational High School Diploma/Certificate of Graduation. These students either go on to seek employment or pursue further study at a junior college.

Placement Recommendations

CREDENTIAL NAME	ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS	LENGTH OF STUDY	COMPARISON TO EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN THE US
General High School Certificate of Graduation	Completion of Middle School (9 years)	3 years	Generally compares to the completion of Grade 12.
Vocational High School Certificate of Graduation	Completion of Middle School (9 years)	3 years	Generally compares to the completion of Grade 12, including vocational study.

Secondary School Documents

Secondary school credentials from South Korea must be certified by the issuing school with an official seal and the signature of a school official. The most common documents are general and vocational high school diplomas, often translated as “certificate of graduation” or “graduation certificate,” and transcripts, often translated as “scholastic records.” Transcripts usually include an explanation of the grading system.

Documents may be issued in both Korean and English, and are sometimes accompanied by a certificate of notarization attesting to the accuracy of the English translation. Commonly, Korean applicants submit only the English version of their secondary school documents. When evaluating secondary documents, Korean originals should be requested whenever possible, as the English version may not be an accurate translation in terms of the grades and does not always indicate units completed for each course.

Vocabulary

Primary School 초등학교

Middle School 중학교

High School 고등학교

Middle School Diploma Chung Hakkyo Choeupchang

General High School Diploma Immumgye Kodung Hakkyo Choeupchang

Vocational High School Diploma Silopgye Kodung Hakkyo Choeupchang

Resources

South Korean Education

Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry http://english.korcham.net/

Korea Foundation of Polytechnic Colleges www.kopo.or.kr/english/index.asp

Korea Institute of Curriculum & Evaluation www.kice.re.kr/kice/eng/index.jsp