The income gap due to health inequality is also getting worse
The polarization of private education spending has deepened, with the gap between the bottom 20 percent and the top 20 percent increasing from 7.6 times in 2001 to 8.6 times in 2004.
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Yang Jeong-ho, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University said that this was the result of analyzing 1,500 households that spent private education expenses on children under high school students in the 2001-2004 Korea Labor Panel Survey.
As a result of comparing the households surveyed into five groups due to high and low private education expenditure, the gap between the lowest 20% and the top 20% of private education expenditure was 7.6 times in 2001 but increased 8.6 times in 2004. In 2001, the average monthly amount of private education expenditure for the top 20 percent was 568,000 won, compared with only 75,000 won for the bottom 20 percent, showing a gap of 493,000 won. The gap between the two groups continued to widen to 600,000 won in 2002, 728,000 won in 2003, and 739,000 won in 2004.
This is because the average monthly private education cost of the bottom 20% has remained around 100,000 won since 2001, while the top 20% group has increased significantly from 568,000 won to 837,000 won. The figure shows that the gap in private education spending has continued to widen since 2001. The average monthly private education expenditure per household is increasing from 268,000 won (2001) to 291,000 won (2002) and 392,000 won (2003) In 2004, it decreased slightly to 369,000 won.
Professor Yang said, "Recently, the gap between private education costs by class has deepened, and it is developing into a polarization phenomenon between the top and bottom income classes," adding, "In terms of education policy, a basic shift in perspective of school education and private education is needed."
In addition, an analysis of 10,000 economically active people aged 15 to 64 showed that the income gap between the lowest-ranking health class who said "your health is very poor" increased from 50% in 1999 to 85% in 2004. The results, revealed by Professor Kim Hak-joo of Gyeongsang National University through the Korea Labor Panel Survey, show that poor health negatively affects income, and the income gap between the healthy and those who do not is also worsening year by year.
It's time to ponder the ways to minimize the income gap and education polarization. As Korea's Suneung (Korean SAT) is getting difficult for students who didn't receive professional academic preparation, we have to be aware of such education disparity.
Writer: Soyun Lee
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