High School Dropout Rates in South Korea Reach Record Levels
In South Korea, the districts of Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa – known as the most competitive school zones in the capital, Seoul – recorded the highest high school dropout rates among general high schools in 2024. According to data from the Korean Educational Development Institute, dropout rates rose to 2.7 per cent in Gangnam and Seocho, and to 2.1 per cent in Songpa.
Experts say that in an intensely competitive environment, where a single mistake in an exam can jeopardise a student’s chances of entering university, some students opt to leave school early. These students focus entirely on the annual university entrance exam, known as Suneung, after passing the national qualification test, which is recognised as equivalent to a high school diploma.
The trend is also evident in admissions to prestigious universities. This year, the number of students admitted to Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University who had passed the qualification test reached 259 – a 37 per cent increase on the previous year and the highest figure in the past eight years.
The recently introduced five-tier grading system may further intensify competition. Some private cram schools have already begun offering combined programmes that prepare students for both the Suneung and the qualification test. Critics warn that such intense academic pressure is drawing students away from the standard curriculum and depriving them of opportunities for social development.