A Real-Life Sky Castle?... Over Half of SKY and Medical School Students Come from High-Income Families Earning Over 110 Million Won Annually

JTBC drama 'SKY Castle' poster

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Among students from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University who applied for the national scholarship, one in two were children from high-income families with an annual income of 110 million KRW or more. The proportion was even higher among medical students.

According to the '2019 2nd Semester National Scholarship Application Status by Income Bracket' submitted by the Korea Student Aid Foundation to Lee Tan-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 28th, among students from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University who applied for the national scholarship, one in two were children from families in income brackets 8, 9, and 10, with an annual income of 110 million KRW or more. In contrast, basic livelihood and near-poverty households accounted for 5.8%.

Among these, the proportion of the 10th bracket (annual income of 170 million KRW or more) was 25%, which is 2.4 times higher than the national university average of 10.3%.

Additionally, the proportion of students from income brackets 8 to 10 among Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University applicants for the national scholarship has steadily increased from 41.4% in 2016 to 51.0% in 2019.

The proportion of medical students from high-income families was even higher.

In the case of medical schools, the proportion of applicants from income brackets 8 to 10 in the first semester of 2020 was 62.2%, higher than 56.5% for Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University, and 36.5% for the national university average. In particular, at Korea University, Catholic University, Seoul National University, and Jeonbuk National University, more than 70% of applicants belonged to these income brackets.

Candidate Lee Tan-hee of the Democratic Party, who ran for the 21st National Assembly election in Yongin-jeong, Gyeonggi Province, posed at his campaign office on the afternoon of April 15 after his victory was confirmed.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Rep. Lee stated, "The socioeconomic status of parents is being inherited by their children," and emphasized the need to review educational policies to bridge regional and class disparities.