Jeon Eun-chae, a professor at the University of Ulsan in Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, records his lectures in one of the school’s lecture rooms on March 12, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — With a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea, major universities in Seoul are choosing to give lectures online for the second semester, resulting in disappointment among freshmen.
Following Yonsei University’s decision to hold all lectures online until October, Konkuk University and Kyunghee University also decided to hold so-called ‘untact’ (contactless) lectures for at least two weeks to as long as a month or longer once the semester starts in September.
If the coronavirus continues to spread in September, temporary measures to hold classes online may be extended.
Freshmen, many of whom haven’t yet met with their colleagues after the first semester took place online, were disappointed by the news.
“I stay at home almost all the time. I feel more isolated than when I was in high school,” said a local Yonsei University student.
Many students were disappointed about cancelling newcomers orientation, festivals, and club activities.
“I couldn’t do a single thing as a college student, I feel like my freshman year’s ruined,” said a Konkuk University student.
As university life without in-person contact drags on, an increasing number of university freshmen are considering retaking college entrance exams.
Uway, an education assessment agency, conducted a survey of 738 freshmen last month, 46.5 percent of whom were considering retaking the College Scholastic Aptitude Test.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
