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More students going abroad to improve education, job prospects
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From grade-schoolers to degree holders, South Korean students nowadays are traveling many thousands of kilometers to just about every corner of the world.
Korean students can be found everywhere, literally. Officials at the Education Ministry said Koreans of varying ages were studying in some 75 nations around the globe, from the Americas to remote African regions, and that their number surpassed 170,000 at the end of last year.
That figure is rising inexorably as more Koreans turn to schools overseas, causing concern among analysts here as many remain abroad after completing their studies while only a percentage of that influx of students return home to contribute their knowledge to motherland and in the long run, the country may possibly lose "high-end intellects" to overseas competitors.
Tens of thousands of Korean students are striving to meet stringent academic requirements and complicated screening and visa procedures to go to schools in the United States, China, Britain, Japan, Canada and elsewhere.
Yoon Eun-joo wanted to study abroad because she thought she would be exposed to a more diverse life than in her homeland.
Now studying in London, Yoon said, "I believe being an international student increases cultural and education awareness and it's a vital part of education and everyone should experience it at least once even if it is for a short period."
Latest studies show Korea sends the third largest number of students to the United States, after China and India. In Canada, Koreans outnumber other international students.
The newest study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows universities in Australia, the United States and Britain are by far the biggest draws for students going abroad.
The OECD's report on education trends around the world said language played a "critical" role in the choice for many of the foreign students, with English on top. Almost half of all students heading abroad were from Asia, particularly South Korea, Japan, China and India.
Many stayed on afterward in the countries where they studied, filling jobs in medicine, mathematics, law and engineering, and even in areas which native students avoid. Others who return home often do so hoping to go back to the country and lifestyle where they studied.
The main objective of 24-year-old Lee Ji-hyun is to return to the United States, where she studied for the last 10 years.
After returning home last year when she finished her undergraduate studies in Boston, Lee currently holds a well-paying job in a foreign company here but she's not happy.
"I've been applying for jobs in the United States since before graduation but it's difficult to get hired since the company would also have to sponsor me for a work visa," Lee told the Herald.
"I wish I could go back and live. I'm so much more used to the lifestyle there now, than here."
Lee is ready to leave as soon as she gets a job offer, but it could be years before anything comes along.
Still, without much influence from the domestic economic, political or social standpoint, parents here are eager to send their children off to study overseas, hoping they can learn foreign languages and achieve a level of education that is not offered here.
The cost of studying abroad is making a big dent in domestic pockets. Some Korean experts question whether the high-price tag of foreign education is worthwhile since there is no guarantees for a better future.
Both of Kim Young-ki's sons are at universities overseas. The tuition fees are onerous but Kim hopes his sons, Ho-won and Ho-jun, will return home to become scientists here.
If all goes as planned, both will be homebound within the next couple of years, each highly decorated with degrees that guarantee great opportunities here. "It's not easy providing for two college kids but I think it's worth it," Kim said.
"I just hope they won't want to live abroad permanently. I couldn't bear to have our family living so far away."
* Vocabularies*
- inexorable : that cannot be stopped or changed (굽힐 수 없는, 냉혹한) -bly
- influx : the fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere
(유입, 밀어닥침, 쇄도)
- high-end : expensive and of high quality (최고급의, 고액의, 고성능의)
- stringent : (of a law, rule, regulation, etc.)very strict and that must be obeyed (엄격한)
*Questions*
1. If you finished study abroad and were offered a job related to your major, would you live in foreign country? And if you do, how long are you supposed to live there?
2. Why do you think the people interviewed above want to live abroad?
3. Only for your children's education, could you live far from them?
4. What do you think is the main reason many young people are going studying abroad?
이 글은「대학연합영어토론동아리」www.pioneerclub.com에서 제공하는 영어토론 정보입니다.
Korean students can be found everywhere, literally. Officials at the Education Ministry said Koreans of varying ages were studying in some 75 nations around the globe, from the Americas to remote African regions, and that their number surpassed 170,000 at the end of last year.
That figure is rising inexorably as more Koreans turn to schools overseas, causing concern among analysts here as many remain abroad after completing their studies while only a percentage of that influx of students return home to contribute their knowledge to motherland and in the long run, the country may possibly lose "high-end intellects" to overseas competitors.
Tens of thousands of Korean students are striving to meet stringent academic requirements and complicated screening and visa procedures to go to schools in the United States, China, Britain, Japan, Canada and elsewhere.
Yoon Eun-joo wanted to study abroad because she thought she would be exposed to a more diverse life than in her homeland.
Now studying in London, Yoon said, "I believe being an international student increases cultural and education awareness and it's a vital part of education and everyone should experience it at least once even if it is for a short period."
Latest studies show Korea sends the third largest number of students to the United States, after China and India. In Canada, Koreans outnumber other international students.
The newest study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows universities in Australia, the United States and Britain are by far the biggest draws for students going abroad.
The OECD's report on education trends around the world said language played a "critical" role in the choice for many of the foreign students, with English on top. Almost half of all students heading abroad were from Asia, particularly South Korea, Japan, China and India.
Many stayed on afterward in the countries where they studied, filling jobs in medicine, mathematics, law and engineering, and even in areas which native students avoid. Others who return home often do so hoping to go back to the country and lifestyle where they studied.
The main objective of 24-year-old Lee Ji-hyun is to return to the United States, where she studied for the last 10 years.
After returning home last year when she finished her undergraduate studies in Boston, Lee currently holds a well-paying job in a foreign company here but she's not happy.
"I've been applying for jobs in the United States since before graduation but it's difficult to get hired since the company would also have to sponsor me for a work visa," Lee told the Herald.
"I wish I could go back and live. I'm so much more used to the lifestyle there now, than here."
Lee is ready to leave as soon as she gets a job offer, but it could be years before anything comes along.
Still, without much influence from the domestic economic, political or social standpoint, parents here are eager to send their children off to study overseas, hoping they can learn foreign languages and achieve a level of education that is not offered here.
The cost of studying abroad is making a big dent in domestic pockets. Some Korean experts question whether the high-price tag of foreign education is worthwhile since there is no guarantees for a better future.
Both of Kim Young-ki's sons are at universities overseas. The tuition fees are onerous but Kim hopes his sons, Ho-won and Ho-jun, will return home to become scientists here.
If all goes as planned, both will be homebound within the next couple of years, each highly decorated with degrees that guarantee great opportunities here. "It's not easy providing for two college kids but I think it's worth it," Kim said.
"I just hope they won't want to live abroad permanently. I couldn't bear to have our family living so far away."
* Vocabularies*
- inexorable : that cannot be stopped or changed (굽힐 수 없는, 냉혹한) -bly
- influx : the fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere
(유입, 밀어닥침, 쇄도)
- high-end : expensive and of high quality (최고급의, 고액의, 고성능의)
- stringent : (of a law, rule, regulation, etc.)very strict and that must be obeyed (엄격한)
*Questions*
1. If you finished study abroad and were offered a job related to your major, would you live in foreign country? And if you do, how long are you supposed to live there?
2. Why do you think the people interviewed above want to live abroad?
3. Only for your children's education, could you live far from them?
4. What do you think is the main reason many young people are going studying abroad?
이 글은「대학연합영어토론동아리」www.pioneerclub.com에서 제공하는 영어토론 정보입니다.
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