[Student Voices] Scrubbing Pans, Seeking Justice
Published: 17 Feb. 2025, 09:00
Seunghu Ji, Namoe Elementary School
by Seunghu Ji, Namoe Elementary School
Last year, my 17-year-old cousin worked part-time at an eel restaurant. He put in some brutal shifts, coming to work right after school, hit straightaway by the smell of eels in the hot and steamy kitchen. He’d stand at the sink scrubbing pans for hours on end, hands red and pruney from the soapy water, surrounded by the clatter of dishes and the sizzling of eels. However, he was paid less than the minimum wage. When I asked him why he didn’t find something better, he shrugged and said it was “good enough.”
That was the moment it dawned on me that students in Korea are unprepared to make decisions regarding their finances. No one had ever taught my cousin how to calculate a paycheck. No one had ever taught him about minimum wage laws.
A survey conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family found that this problem is widespread. Compared with the results of a 2016 survey, more workers are now paid less than the minimum wage, or have no written employment contract. Financial education is rarely included in the curricula of Korean high schools. This means that many young people who work part-time jobs do not know their rights as workers.
If more financial education is brought into high schools, students can protect themselves against exploitation. Financial literacy should be integrated with subjects such as mathematics and social studies, where financial concepts can be understood in a realistic environment. For example, a lesson on statistics can include the impact of inflation, and show how far young workers’ earnings go toward their clothes, school supplies, and other expenses. Test questions can focus on real-world problems, like, “A student with a 10-hour-per-week job is underpaid by 1,000 won every hour. Over the course of one year, how much money does he lose?”
Social Studies classes offer many opportunities for financial education. A lesson on the modernization of Korea, for example, can show how labor practices have evolved. Students can learn about the part-time jobs kids did back in the 1960s, the sorts of jobs kids do now, and what rights students have gained over the past 60 years.
In addition, high schools could offer an optional class on financial literacy for students who work while in school. The class could even be held during a three-week camp in the summer or winter. Students would learn about fair working conditions, how to evaluate their paychecks, and how to advocate for themselves against exploitation.
After learning about my cousin’s money issues, my family helped him to understand his rights. Rather than saying it’s “good enough,” he went back to the eel restaurant and firmly stood his ground. It’s difficult for a high-school student to stand up to a business owner, but my cousin had the confidence that comes from knowledge. He threatened to report his employer to the Ministry of Labor unless he received fair compensation for his work. The employer, who didn’t want to get sued or lose a good worker, drew up a new contract. After negotiating the terms carefully, my cousin was pleased to sign his name on a contract that gave him even more than the minimum wage.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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