Tag: hagwon

hagwon

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Seoul’s rising home prices redraw the map of private education

As wealth concentrates in Gangnam-area neighborhoods and other high-end hubs, cram school spending is shifting away from some traditional districts and deepening polarization across Seoul and beyond.

2026.7.12

A hagwon, or cram school, in central Seoul on Feb. 3, 2025 [YONHAP]

Foreign English teachers cite stagnant wages, poor conditions amid drop in E-2 visas

English teachers at Korea's hagwons face stagnant wages, poor working conditions and visa restrictions limiting their options. Salaries range from 2.0 to 2.8 million won per month, often just above minimum wage.

2026.5.14

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A banner at an English 'kindergarten' in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, advertises new student enrollment. [YONHAP]

Once a magnet for foreign English teachers, Korea sees E-2 visa issuances hit six-year low

Foreign language instructor visa applications hit a 6-year low of 1,286 as of March 2026, surpassing even pandemic visa slumps. It comes as students turn to independent AI learning tools to speak English rather than expensive Hagwon classes.

2026.5.7

People walk on a street in Daechi-dong, a neighborhood dense with private education institutes in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 4, 2025. [YONHAP]

Students need resting spaces in overheated private academy districts. Parents are turning to campers.

A camper van parked along a curb in Daechi-dong, a neighborhood in southern Seoul known for its dense concentration of private academies, has ignited debate among parents about the rising costs and pressures of private education.

2026.1.27

A person walks past private cram schools in Dogok-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on July 23. [WOO SANG-JO]

Ordinance to extend hagwon hours in Seoul sparks debate over regulating cram schools

Seoul's 10 p.m. curfew on hagwon is facing renewed debate as an ordinance seeks to extend hours to midnight. This move raises concerns about academic pressure, student rights and the implications for public education.

2025.12.17

The streets of Daechi-dong, southern Seoul, are filled with students in the evening in June 2024. The neighborhood is famed as a hagwon (private tutoring institute) zone. [KIM KYOUNG-ROK]

Bill to let Seoul-based cram schools stay open late sparks 'fairness' debate

A bill has been put forward at the Seoul Metropolitan Council to allow hagwons (private tutoring institutions) to stay open until midnight.

2025.11.6

A passerby walks past a private English institution for preschoolers, widely known as an English kindergarten, in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on March 13. [YONHAP]

Korea weighs banning 'English kindergartens' amid parental backlash

In Korea, many parents turn to “English kindergartens” in the hope that their children will pick up the language naturally, despite the steep tuition fees. However, such institutions could soon disappear if a bill seeking to abolish them passes.

2025.10.6

Elementary school students play Go at an academy in Daechi-dong, Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Sept. 3. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

From Go to jump rope: Kids in Korea look for more than academics in cram schools

Korean parents are famously dedicated to their children’s education. But beyond the usual cram schools for math and English, a growing number are enrolling their children in private academies for everything from Go to jump rope.

2025.9.6

A street filled with hagwons, or private cram schools, in Dogok-dong in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Not marts or restaurants: Where gov't vouchers boosted sales the most

Government’s consumer coupons drove the biggest spending surge in hagwon, or private cram schools, as families seek to cut fixed costs amid inflationary pressure.

2025.8.14

Parents look through children's books at a book fair held in Coex, southern Seoul, on July 10. [YONHAP]

63 English academies penalized for excessive education for preschoolers

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education uncovered 63 English academies for young children that promoted excessive early education, such as prepping 4-year-olds for civil service-style testing, and imposed various penalties.

2025.8.3