Education

-According to various studies, the literacy rate among Korean Chinese is 93%, as compared to the average overall literacy rate of 22.2%, and to an average rate of 30.8% among all ethnic minorities. And on average, Korean Chinese complete 8.25 years of schooling, surpassing the average of the entire population of China and for the ethnic minorities. However, despite the high education rate of Korean Chinese, they have still faced discrimination over their education levels, language, as well as evaluation of their education.

-There had been two main schools of thought regarding education levels and the social status of Korean Chinese. The first school composed mostly of Korean Chinese population with high school or undergraduate degrees, emphasizing the importance of the Korean language and its critical role in the Korean Chinese people’s identity. The other school composed of people with graduate degrees or professional careers, they valued Chinese proficiency over Korean proficiency, even if both had the same education level.

In recent years, later generation (second generation) Korean Chinese have chosen not to learn Korean or attend Chosonjok schools. From 2003 to 2006, the student population in Chosonjok schools has decreased 17%, from 22983 students to 19,096 students.