Parents taken to the cleaners with soaring school uniform prices, prompting gov't scrutiny

As school uniform prices climb toward 600,000 won ($400), the Korean government has launched a sweeping review on pricing and policies aimed at easing the burden on parents.

Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said in a Facebook post on Thursday that the Ministry of Education will convene a joint meeting with relevant ministries to draw up “effective improvement measures,” noting that debates over whether prices are reasonable resurface every year ahead of the new school term.

Choi said the high prices stem from a combination of factors, including the growing number of required items, uniform designs that vary across schools, the use of imported fabrics and complex distribution structures.

Choi noted that from students’ perspectives, wearing formal-style uniforms — which typically include button-up shirts, trousers, blouses and pleated skirts — throughout the school day can be uncomfortable, leading many to opt for casual alternatives.

“We need to take this opportunity to re-examine whether formal uniforms are truly necessary,” he wrote.

Choi’s remarks followed President Lee Jae Myung’s recent call for countermeasures after pointing out that some uniform sets cost nearly 600,000 won. During a senior aides’ meeting on Feb. 12, Lee said uniforms have even been dubbed “backbreakers,” a colloquial term used in Korea to describe expensive items, such as clothing, that are perceived to place a heavy financial burden on parents. Lee urged officials to determine whether such pricing is justified and to prepare measures if necessary.

In response, the Education Ministry, the Fair Trade Commission, the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will hold the first joint meeting at the government complex in Sejong on Friday, eight days after Lee’s directive. Vice Education Minister Choi Eun-ok will preside over the meeting.

The government plans to review whether current uniform prices are appropriate and examine potential unfair practices such as collusion among suppliers. It will also assess the overall uniform procurement system, including the system introduced in 2015 under which schools collectively purchase uniforms on behalf of students to lower prices, and provincial education offices set annual caps on price increases based on inflation forecasts. This year’s ceiling remains unchanged from last year at 344,530 won.

However, parents say that beyond the standard formal uniform, additional purchases such as gym clothes are effectively mandatory, increasing the actual burden.

According to a public education data portal, one middle school in North Gyeongsang charged 608,000 won last year for a full set of summer and winter uniforms — well above the 300,000 to 400,000 won subsidies provided by local education offices and governments.

An Education Ministry official said the government will seek practical reforms to reduce the financial burden on parents after reviewing the overall uniform purchasing system.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY LEE BO-RAM [[email protected]]