As Competition Intensifies, Korean Parents Pour Money Into Tutoring (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean families are spending far more on private education than they did a decade ago, underscoring how deeply supplemental tutoring has become embedded in the country’s competitive education system.
Household spending on private education — including hagwons, or for-profit after-school academies — reached nearly 29.2 trillion won ($20.2 billion) in 2024, according to data released Sunday by Korean Statistical Information Service. That represents a 60 percent increase from 2014 and marks the fourth consecutive year of growth.
The rise reflects both higher costs and a growing willingness — or necessity — for families to invest in extra instruction outside regular schools. Government analysts also point to the steady expansion of dual-income households, which often rely on hagwons to supervise and educate children during parents’ working hours.
Spending on elementary school students rose the fastest over the past decade, jumping 74 percent to 13.2 trillion won. Outlays for middle school students increased about 41 percent, while spending on high school students climbed more than 60 percent, reaching 8.1 trillion won in 2024.
By 2025, private education had become one of the largest items in household budgets. Families with at least two unmarried children spent an average of 611,000 won a month on private education in the third quarter of the year, accounting for 12.6 percent of total monthly spending — second only to food costs. The share has continued to rise, reaching a record 13.5 percent in the second quarter of 2025.
Education experts say the trend is being fueled by uncertainty surrounding college admissions, which have undergone frequent policy changes in recent years. As rules shift, many parents feel compelled to lean more heavily on private tutoring to hedge against risk in a system where academic outcomes are closely tied to future opportunity.
The figures highlight a paradox confronting South Korea: even as the school-age population shrinks, the financial and social pressure on families to invest in education continues to intensify.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
