In South Korea, Adult Skills Fall Off a Cliff With Age

The steep drop

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development measures adult capabilities across member nations and reveals a demographic gap within South Korea. While the nation has heavily invested in formal schooling, literacy declines by approximately 40 score points from the youngest age group to the oldest one.

This happens despite broad early-life academic performance, as 71% of 25-34-year-olds had completed tertiary education in 2024, compared to the OECD average of 48%.

The testing culture

The initial proficiency of young adults is largely the product of a competitive educational environment. Families deploy resources toward private tutoring to secure admission to prestigious universities. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development concludes that these investments remain geared toward the university entry exam and do not develop sufficient skills in critical thinking and self-directed learning.

Consequently, graduates enter the labour market equipped with book-learned knowledge but lacking the adaptable, autonomous learning strategies required to maintain their cognitive capabilities over a decades-long career.

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Source institutions：OECD

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