School Life in Korea Compared to the United States

School life in Korea compared to the United States 

By: Claire McKillop 

Date: Fall 2024

The differences between the United States and South Korea vary widely, but the one that had caught my attention the most was their school rules. Including their expectations of students, how laws affect their schools, and how important the future of these kids are to their educators.

A student previously living in South Korea, now in the US explained that she had to study a lot more in Korea than in the states. She also added that it was nice that she could try out for soccer in the US, as in Korea it’s a male dominated sport.

She states that “If you have long hair you have to tie[it back]. The school does not allow curled hair.” In addition, other rules include that students must clean their space before and after class and a strict no-shoe policy as students must wear slippers or inside shoes.

In South Korea, there is also an option of either public or private schooling. Public schools can be either co-educational or gender-specific. However, private schools are more prestigious. As they have students demonstrate their work as an entre.

In the US, according to the website, 25 Best Public High Schools in the U.S. There are three different types of high schools. public, charter, and magnet schools. Public schools are open to all people of gender. They include blended and digital learning opportunities and computer science and STEM classes. Charter schools assign students classrooms that align with the students specific needs. Magnet schools enroll students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, and all achievement levels. With the demand for specialized curricula, most of these tuition-free schools adopt a lottery system for admission.

“We stay in one classroom. We have similar class sizes. Tables are similar. School is cleaner there than[in the] U.S.” She says South Korea does a better job at keeping their schools clean. This may be because they also have students participate in school cleanliness.

“[We] Don't have guns in Korea. And it’s very scary. Knowing that all police officers have guns.” She declares.

In the United States, sadly, guns are legal. Which is a harsh reality for our upcoming generation. There have been many incidents of mass school shootings in the US due to the legalization of guns. Although, we have been taking a step in the right direction. The US passed a law in 1990 which made it unlawful for an individual to possess a firearm near a school zone. 

Now in South Korea, the only people that are allowed to possess firearms are South Korean police during operations. School zones there have been safer because of this act. 

While interviewing Gia, I learned the differences between South Korea and the United States when it comes to education and gun laws. While South Korea does have prestigious schools and more academic resources than the states, the stress levels of students is at an all-time high. The U.S. may not have the ability to adjust to all students' needs, but their students are under less school stress and the schools here have more diversity.