“Rarely Worn but Costly School Uniforms”… Abolishing Expensive Formal School Uniforms, Switching to Casual Wear

[‘\n【 Anchor Comment 】’,
, ‘ There have been concerns as students’ school uniform costs exceed 600,000 KRW, and President Lee Jae-myung has ordered countermeasures.’,
, ‘ The government has decided to abolish expensive suit-style uniforms and transition to casual attire.’,
, ‘ Reporter An Jung-mo reports.’,
,
, ‘【 Reporter 】’,
, ‘ The average uniform cost is around 320,000 KRW, but when casual and athletic wear are added, the burden on parents is much higher.’,
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, ‘▶ Interview: Jo Soo-hyun / Parent of an incoming middle school student’,
, ‘- “There’s also separate casual wear. And I have to buy spare clothes, so it seems to cost around 600,000 KRW. It’s really burdensome.”‘,
,
, ‘ Despite spending a lot on them, uniforms are rarely worn.’,
,
, ‘This is because many schools allow a mix of suit uniforms and casual wear.’,
,
, ‘▶ Interview: Ryu Hyun-soo / Middle school 2nd grader’,
, ‘- “Most students wear casual or athletic wear. (Suit uniforms) don’t stretch well, so they’re uncomfortable to walk in. They stay in the closet and are worn maybe twice a year….”‘,
,
, ‘▶ Standup: An Jung-mo / Reporter’,
, ‘- “In consideration of this reality, the government has announced a plan to improve uniform pricing. The main point is to abolish suit uniforms and switch to casual attire.”‘,
,
, ‘ Abolishing suit uniforms and simplifying items would mean that uniforms can be purchased within the current support range of 300,000 to 400,000 KRW.’,
,
, ‘▶ Interview: Choi Gyo-jin / Minister of Education’,
, ‘- “We will encourage the abolition of expensive and uncomfortable suit-type uniforms and promote a transition to more comfortable attire.”‘,
,
, ‘ If the government recommends abolition, schools will make the final decision, but one middle school in Gimpo has already decided to abolish suit uniforms and provide 9 sets of casual attire within the support fund range starting this year.’,
,
, ‘ The government plans to set price ceilings for individual items like shirts and pants to prevent price hikes, and conduct a comprehensive survey of uniform prices at all 5,700 middle and high schools nationwide.’,
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, ‘ This is MBN News An Jung-mo.’,
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, ‘Video coverage: Park Yang-bae’,
, ‘ Video editing: Kim Min-ji’,
, ‘ Graphics: Choi Ji-hoon’,
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]