"More Concerned About Academic Decline" Despite COVID-19 Spread, Hagwon Areas Bustling

Daechi-dong Academy District: Students and Instructors Wearing Masks Continue Classes
Parents Worry About Children Falling Behind, So No Suspension Despite Government Recommendations
Infection Prevention Effectiveness Reduced When Gathering at Academies Despite School Reopening Delays

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-gi] A large math academy in Gangnam, Seoul. About 40 students are sitting closely together attending a class. Almost all students, including the instructor, are wearing masks. Although concerns about the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are spreading, the academy reported that almost no students have refrained from attending due to these worries.

In another classroom, about 10 students are seated attending a lesson. The scene was similar here as well. All students focused on studying were wearing masks, but the number of students had not decreased compared to before the COVID-19 situation.

On the afternoon of the 21st, we met Lim Hyun-deok (14) in the Daechi-dong academy district, who said he attends 3 to 4 academies a day, totaling 8 academies a week. Lim said, "Usually, 10 to 15 students attend the class together," and "Students have to take care of masks and hand sanitizers on their own." Although there are concerns about COVID-19 infection through the academies, since no confirmed cases have occurred near Daechi-dong yet, he has no intention of skipping classes. Lim studied at an English academy for four hours starting at 9 a.m., then moved directly to a math academy.

We visited several other places near Daechi-dong where many students gather. Places with unspecified crowds such as cafes had noticeably fewer people. However, students wearing masks and studying with tablets, books, or notebooks were easily seen everywhere. Kim Seung-ho, a senior high school student this year, said, "If you are quarantined, you cannot study properly, so the academy teachers often advise us to be careful."

Jung Eun-hoo (13) and Jo Seong-min (13) also said, "No confirmed cases have occurred near the academy, and we are always careful when going to the academy, so we are not very worried." Lee Yeon-woo, a second-year high school student, said, "I am staying in Seoul during the vacation to study," and expressed concern, "If the academy closes due to COVID-19, I will have no choice but to study alone in a place that is not my hometown." Choi Seok-hoon (17) said, "I have never heard that the academy is suspending classes," and "I just plan to wear a mask well as my parents told me."

Despite government recommendations, the 'boldness' of academies that have 'no intention of resting' is a strange scene created by academies, parents, and students watching each other carefully. They are worried but have the mentality of 'I (my child) cannot be the only one to skip.' A parent of a prospective middle school third grader living in Mok-dong, Mr. A, said, "It is the time to cover high school math to aim for special-purpose high schools, but the academy seems to have no plans to stop classes," and "But if I make my child absent alone, the child refuses because they are afraid of falling behind other friends." Although he secretly hopes the academy will decide to 'stop classes,' all he can do is remind his child to take good care of masks, supplements, and health.

If the situation worsens, there is a possibility that the academy industry will make a decision on its own. A representative of Dawon Education operating in the Daechi-dong academy district said, "Some events such as entrance exam briefings are being canceled," but "measures such as suspending academy classes are still under internal discussion and nothing has been decided yet." A representative of Parkmungak Exam Academy in Noryangjin also said, "We are considering responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, but nothing has been decided so far."

Although the Ministry of Education proposed a one-week delay in school openings to frontline schools, if academy classes, which take place in confined spaces for long hours, continue as usual, the virus blocking effect will inevitably be reduced. This is a concern shared by quarantine authorities and experts. Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "Even if schools close, if children continue to gather at academies, the possibility of transmission will not decrease," and "Since infectious diseases are more contagious the longer people are in contact in closed spaces, visiting crowded places at times like this should be avoided."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.