Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
College students choosing leave of absence amid prolonged remote classes
A student walks through a near-empty university campus in Seoul, Dec. 22. / Korea Times file
By Lee Hyo-jin
By Lee Hyo-jin
A college student surnamed Hwang, 22, applied recently for a leave of absence for the upcoming spring semester. The junior student at Korea University said the prolonging online classes influenced her decision.
“I didn't want to spend another semester sitting in front of the computer at home. And with most on-campus activities limited, I felt reluctant to pay the 3.5 million won ($3,120) tuition fee for the online classes,” Hwang said.
During the first half of the year, she plans to pursue other activities on campus such as internships and foreign language certifications, which will be useful for when she is looking for a job after graduation.
“I hope things will return to normal by the time I come back for the fall semester. I really miss my college life with in-person classes, club activities, festivals and other gatherings and events,” she said.
As universities here are announcing plans for the new semester, with a large number of classes to be conducted remotely, students who are reluctant to continue with online lectures are choosing to take a break from their studies.
According to a recent survey conducted by job recruiting platforms Job Korea and Albamon among 2,373 college students, 26.4 percent responded saying they had plans to take a leave of absence for the spring semester.
About half, or, 47.2 percent of freshmen and 44.2 percent of sophomores, said the main reason was “poor quality of online lectures.” Another survey conducted by the recruiting platforms among 1,724 students who took remote classes last year showed that 75.3 percent were unsatisfied with the quality of lectures.
“I don't know exactly how things used to be before the coronavirus pandemic, but the online classes were definitely not what I had expected,” said a student surnamed Jeong, who entered Soongsil University in 2020. “It was hard to concentrate, and it still doesn't feel like I have actually become a college student.”
In addition to internships, part-time jobs and additional qualifications, enlisting for compulsory military service is also being considered as an option for male students who have decided to take a leave of absence.
According to the Military Manpower Administration, the competition for enlistment in the army has increased significantly this year.
Only one out of every 7.1 applicants gained a place in the Air Force for March's intake. The competition was significantly higher than last year when one out of every two applicants gained a spot.