Different Perspectives
Kyung Hee University released its Future College Report 2015 on July 21. A total of approximately 10,000 Kyung Hee University students participated in the survey between April last year and Feb. this year, and 3,419 out of them mentioned the gap between the rich and the poor as Korean society’s biggest problem.
Many of the students answered that they are limited from the get go, unlike in the past, in making their way up the social ladder. Experts point out that this answer was influenced by the Piketty phenomenon, an empirical study of income inequality. The respondents also said that the matter would be exacerbated, along with the aging of the population, for 50 years to come.
Fully 34.3 percent of the students said that they go to college in order to get a job, and 26.1 percent mentioned diplomas and personal connections. The percentage of the students who picked scholarly research stood at 18.9 percent.
Another 36.4 percent of the respondents answered that those who create wealth would be the most respected in 50 years. A segment of 29.9 percent chose those who are dedicated to others. This seems to be attributable to their realistic rather than idealistic approach influenced by the harsh labor market conditions as of late.