Make Children Happy

Time to focus more on character building

There is no doubt that children are the future of the nation. Marking Children's Day on Wednesday,(today) adult Koreans had better not miss the opportunity to come together with children and understand them better. It is meaningful to make efforts to know how children feel about their lives and what kind of value system they have.


One of the surveys drawing attention is about how satisfied children are with their lives. Much to the disappointment of the public, Korean children's satisfaction hit the lowest level among the members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

According to a recent survey of 5,437 schoolchildren ranging from fourth grade to 12th, 53.9 percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with their lives. The survey was conducted by a social studies research center affiliated with Yonsei University and a foundation for Pang Jong-hwan who dedicated himself to children's education and initiated Children's Day in 1923 under Japanese colonial rule.

The gratification rate is far lower than the OECD average of 84.8 percent which was tallied in 2006 by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Of course, it is somewhat improper to compare the Korean survey with that of UNICEF not only because of a time gap but also due to different polling methods.


However, it makes sense as Korean children have sufficient reasons for being disgruntled with their lives. First of all, South Korea is rated as a developing country in terms of social welfare. The nation has long neglected the wellbeing of children although it has made some progress in promoting their rights in the past decades.

There are still frequent cases of abuse, sexual molestation, rape, kidnapping and violence committed against children. Sex-related violence has recently emerged as major concern as nearly three children are subject to such a grave crime every day, according to police statistics. Of course, the official figure is only the tip of the iceberg.


The number of children reported missing more than doubled to 9,470 in 2008 from 4,066 in 2004, according to the police. A large number of children are without parental care or appropriate education and are highly vulnerable to different types of crime.

In addition, children have other reasons to feel unhappy with their lives. They are under too much stress due to excessive competition for school records. They are forced to do better than their classmates. And they have no time to play due to heavy study loads, including private tutoring.

It is urgent to free our children from the yoke of college entrance exams and focus more on education to build character and personality. Parents, teachers, and officials should work together to make the country a better place for children to live in. It is easier said than done. But, it's time to act now to help children enjoy their lives, pursue happiness and become creative human resources in the future.