17% of SNU Students at Risk of Alcoholism
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Nearly two out of every 10 students at Seoul National University are exposed to the risk of becoming an alcoholic, according to a survey released Wednesday.
As many as 17.4 percent were categorized as being at a ``high risk’’ of health problems including alcohol addiction due to frequent drinking, according to the school survey of 431 students out of a total 30,000.
While a majority of those surveyed said they drink two to four times a month ― 56 percent of males and 44 percent of females ― less than 5 percent said they ``never drink.’’ Only 12 percent of male students and 34 percent of female students said they drink less than once a month.
Two college students died last month after binging, and at least 10 students have died from over indulging in the past five years, according to the Korea Education and Research Information Service.
Schools are trying to discourage drinking parties, at which 54 percent of college students and 65 percent of freshmen say they are often forced to drink against their will, according to a recent survey by job portal Career.
Drinking at freshman welcoming parties is a widespread ``rite of passage’’ in Korea, and is seen as a way of building fraternal relations and as an outlet after years of rigorous studying to pass college entrance exams.