Domestic households spent 39.8 trillion won (29.5 billion U.S. dollars) on education last year, a record high and an average of 2.39 million won (1,771 dollars) per family.

According to the Bank of Korea, household educational expenses jumped three trillion won (2.2 billion dollars) last year.

Forty-seven percent of the cost or 18.7 trillion won (13.8 billion dollars) were spent on education at private institutions or by private tutors.

Expenses for private education accounted for 35 percent of the overall education cost in 2000, but their share in overall educational expenses has grown every year since.