High School Students Worry about Unemployment

As youth unemployment increases due to the economic stagnation, eight out of 10 high school teenagers are worrying about becoming jobless upon entering the working world.

High school students consider the government’s role important for the economy to improve, but they think lowly of the government’s contribution to the economic growth and development.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry took a survey on the economic understanding with 777 Seoul high school students, and with the question asking whether they think they may become unemployed, 28.8 percent answered, “I greatly think so,” and 49.2 percent with “I generally think so.”

With the question asking about the possibility of himself/herself becoming unemployed, 15.8 percent answered, “I really don’t think so” and those who replied, “I highly don’t think so” comprised 6.2 percent.

The students picked the unemployment problem to be the Korean economy’s greatest vulnerability. Following were the gap between the rich and poor (35.7 percent), labor and management conflicts (19.8 percent), lack of technology (4.5 percent), and household debts (3.5 percent).

As for the economic subjects which have to perform well in order for the economy to improve, 49.7 percent picked the government. The nation’s people (26.0 percent), companies (14.5 percent), and the president (3.9 percent) followed behind.

Enterprises (35.9 percent) were picked as the economic subject having contributed the most to the economic growth and development. Following were the nation’s people (23.2 percent), foreign investors (17.9 percent), workers (15.0 percent), and the government (4.9 percent).

As for future jobs, teacher (22.7 percent) was the most chosen, and businessman/woman (13.5 percent), government employee (10.2 percent), artist (10.0 percent), and journalist (8.6 percent) followed. Only a mere 0.2 percent wanted to be a scientist, reflecting the shirking of the science and engineering department.

Won-Jae Lee wjlee@donga.com