KAIST students suicide sets off alarm bell

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Sun, December 10, 2023 | 00:03

KAIST students suicide sets off alarm bell

Posted : 2011-01-11 19:21

Updated : 2011-01-11 19:21

By Han Sang-hee

The apparent suicide of a young, aspiring robot expert has stirred the nation, raising questions about the alternate admissions system that allowed him to study at one of the most prestigious schools in Korea but overlooked other important aspects.

The 19-year-old student, only identified as Cho, was found lying on his motorbike near one of the buildings at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon close to midnight last Saturday, according to the Dunsan Police Office.

Cho met a friend around 9:30 p.m. and said that he was going to ``eat pills and die,’’ and left riding his motorcycle. A number of empty sleeping pill bottles were later discovered in his room, police said.

Cho, who received dozens of awards in robot-related contests, was admitted to KAIST through the admissions officer system where college hopefuls are assessed beyond test scores and instead other factors such as recommendations from principals and in-depth interviews are considered.

He was the only student from a vocational school to be accepted to KAIST in 2009 and also made headlines for his enrollment.

However, his friends were quoted as saying that he was having difficulty in catching up with his studies, especially in his calculus classes that were taught entirely in English.

``I didn’t know he was having such a hard time. I think (entering KAIST) was too much for him to handle,’’ Cho’s father was quoted as saying to the police.

Teachers and experts say that universities’ competition to recruit more students through admissions offers without sufficient follow-up is one of the reasons behind the tragic incident.

``The system does seem fair since the students are picked for their potential and talents, not just test scores. But if you really think about it, potential is not the only factor that makes a good student and it cannot guarantee that they will shine throughout their college years,’’ said a high school teacher who refused to give her name.

카이스트 학생 자살 충격

입학사정관제로 카이스트대에 입학한 전문계고 출신의 조모씨가 스스로 목숨을 끊었다.

둔산 경찰서는 조씨가 성적문제로 괴로워했다는 친구들의 진술에 따라 그가 학업문제와 스트레스에 시달리다 자살을 한 것 같다고 전했다.

어릴적부터 로봇에 관심이 많아 수많은 대회에서 상을 받은 조씨의 자살로 인해 입학사정관제에 대한 걱정과 우려가 다시 사회적 이슈로 떠오르기 시작했다.

대부분의 학교들이 입학사정관제로 들어온 학생들에게 필요한 상담과 학업 프로그램을 마련하지 못해 인문계와 전문계의 학업과 문화 격차를 좁히지 못했다는 지적을 받고 있다.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr