Intro
00:00:00South Korea has undergone a remarkable transformation from an underdeveloped nation with an uneducated population and struggling economy to a symbol of human resilience and innovation, boasting advanced infrastructure that rivals European nations. The country now proudly produces hundreds of thousands of university graduates every year.
Introduction
00:00:52South Korea's rapid economic development has transformed it into one of the world's most developed nations, but this progress has come at a cost. The country now faces high suicide rates and unhappiness among its population, revealing the complexities and far-reaching implications of such rapid development.
Background
00:02:06South Korea was left devastated after the Korean War in 1953, with a majority of its population illiterate and economy based on rudimentary agriculture. However, the government's decision to shift from agrarian to industrial economy by staking their economic future on select family-owned conglomerates facilitated South Korea's astonishing economic growth in the early 1960s.
Education
00:03:22The South Korean government provided substantial support to tables, which were expected to fuel economic growth and aggressively penetrate global markets. This led to a surge in demand for advanced skills within the country, resulting in an education fever sweeping across the nation.
Work Culture
00:04:14South Korea's education system has been successful in producing a highly educated populace, but the intense work culture instilled by conglomerates like The chables is becoming increasingly toxic. While these companies account for 85% of the country's GDP, they only offer about 10% of jobs and have adopted a business model that allows them to thrive without boosting hiring. As a result, college graduates face higher unemployment rates than their non-degree holding counterparts and are unable to utilize their hard-earned education in society due to societal stigma towards manual labor jobs resulting in growing youth unemployment rate and profound dissatisfaction among people.