The number of South Korean children suffering from depression and anxiety has tripled due to academic pressure.

The number of South Korean children suffering from depression and anxiety disorders has skyrocketed, raising concerns about excessive academic pressure in areas with high demand for private education, such as Gangnam.

Korean children face immense academic pressure from preschool age onwards - Photo: YONHAP NEWS

According to Maeil Business on April 25, the number of health insurance claims related to depression in South Korean children has skyrocketed following the craze for "4-year-old exams" and "7-year-old exams," which are entrance exams assessing proficiency for English-language kindergartens and academies.

This situation raises concerns about the negative impacts of excessive and premature academic pressure and societal expectations on children's mental health, particularly in the Gangnam area, which includes the three districts of Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa – a region that leads South Korea in investment in private education .

According to data received by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Agency (HIRA) from the National Assembly's Education Committee, represented by lawmaker Jin Sun Mi, the number of children under 9 years old living in the three districts of Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa suffering from depression and anxiety disorders has more than tripled in the past five years.

The number of health insurance claims related to mental disorders in this group of children has skyrocketed, from 1,037 in 2020 to 1,612 in 2021, 2,188 in 2022, 2,797 in 2023, and reaching 3,309 in 2024.

Accordingly, over the past five years, these three districts have recorded a total of 19,943 insurance claims related to depression and anxiety disorders in young children.

In 2024 alone, Songpa District recorded 1,442 cases, Gangnam District had 1,045 cases, and Seocho District had 822 cases, bringing the total to 3,309 cases.

On average, each of these three districts recorded 1,103 cases, which is 3.8 times higher than the Seoul city-wide average of 291 cases.

According to Maeil Business, the number of health insurance claims for children under 9 years old in South Korea has also increased significantly, from 15,407 in 2020 to 32,601 in 2024, equivalent to an increase of more than 2.16 times.

One of the main reasons cited is the intense academic pressure in this group of three districts, which is known for having the highest "private education boom" in all of South Korea.

According to Maeil Business, as of 2024, up to 25% of English-language kindergartens in central Seoul are concentrated in these three districts.

"Children are burdened with excessive academic pressure and competitive stress during a period when they should be developing physically and emotionally," said lawmaker Jin Sun Mi, commenting on this alarming situation.

Ms. Jin also urged the South Korean Ministry of Education to quickly implement comprehensive measures, including a survey of the current state of early childhood education, to prevent negative impacts on children's mental health caused by premature learning and excessive competition.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/so-tre-em-han-quoc-bi-tram-cam-lo-au-tang-gap-ba-lan-do-ap-luc-hoc-hanh-20250426130639666.htm