Recent fake degree scandals surrounding celebrities have shed light on the dark side of Korea's education fever that has underpinned the nation's economic development over the past half century.

The scandals involve not only those in academic circles but also cultural and entertainment industry figures whose success would not necessarily depend on their educational records.

Even a most respected religious leader was found to have lied about his alma mater, reflecting how much Koreans are preoccupied with educational credentials.

Law enforcement agencies are probing the cases, and education authorities are scurrying to plug the holes in verification system. Media are ransacking school records to capture more liars and civic campaigns are under way to put records in order.

But experts say, to address the ills of "credentialism," the nation should be ready for more fundamental changes in public awareness, social practices, and personnel evaluation systems in business and government.

According to a recent survey, about 40 percent of senior government officials graduated from the three most prestigious universities: Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University, together known as SKY. SNU graduates topped the list with 22.4 percent.

Some 60 percent attended the top 10 universities in Korea. The survey, conducted by the Korea Institute for Public Autonomy, showed about 67 percent of a total of 411 public servants went to school in Seoul and 33 percent had a master's degree.

The online recruitment portal, Job Korea, asked 1,238 workers and college students last year to pick the most important factor insuring success in Korea. Academic credentials topped the list with 22.4 percent, followed by appearance at 21.9 percent.

Data from the Korea Listed Companies Association showed only 22 people out of 1,005, a mere 2 percent of the heads of listed companies did not graduate from university. It draws a sharp contrast with the results of a survey carried out in the United States by the business magazine Forbes showing 15 percent of the top 400 U.S. businessmen did not hold a university diploma.

"People tend to show different attitudes toward a certain person before and after learning that he attended, say, Seoul National University," said a history professor of Hallym University, requesting anonymity.

The easiest way for people to succeed in Korea is to go to a top school, so credentialism begins in childhood.

"In Korea, entering a top school means that society will recognize you as a top graduate and treat you as such, instead of making an objective assessment of your actual ability," the professor said.

Exclusive academic cliques have a negative impact on society.

"It is a vicious circle," she said. People believe they can be successful in life only if they study at a famed educational institution, because those people, when they become a member of exclusive academic cliques, give more support to their fellow members and neglect the rights of others who belong to different cliques that they consider "less superb."

Networks based on schools often breed various social ills, such as favoritism and unfair patronage in business, government, academia, and almost every sector. School links were behind many high-profile corruption and influence-peddling scandals.

Kang Joon-man, a journalism professor of Chonbuk National University, said that there won't be any meaningful competition unless credentialism is overcome in Korean society.

"Without a reexamination, winners and losers will be less likely to do their best," he wrote in his book "The Kingdom of Seoul National University," which triggered a civic movement to address the evils of credentialism.

Hong Sang-tae, a Sangji University professor and vice executive director of People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said credentialism prevents society from properly assessing an individual's ability.

School titles have become the most important indicator of ability, he said, thus allowing certain graduates undue benefits in society.

To a certain degree, differences between schools tend to show differences in individuals' abilities. But, it is not always so. "Good school grades do not always convert to superb work performances in society," he said.

"The fierce competition in our society, to get into top universities, causes a massive waste of resources since it begins from one's childhood, and to make matters worse, it effectively blocks the evaluation of practical aspects of one's ability."

"Credential society means that the university you attended determines a considerable part of your life," Hong said

Even in marriage, educational background works as a crucial standard in selecting a spouse.

For example, one of the leading match-making companies in Korea, DUO, recently began offering services in affiliation with the alumni associations of SNU and Yonsei University. A spokesperson of the company said that school titles do not affect the level of a person, but school diplomas do, depending on whether the person is a high school graduate, a two-year college graduate, or a four-year university graduate.

It is no wonder credentials can bring out subjective judgments in the workplace.

"Academic cliques have positive aspects, for example, if they cooperate to raise funds for their alma mater. However, sometimes they have the reverse effect, forming an interest group," said a professor on condition of anonymity.

The professor denounced Korean society for putting too much emphasis on school titles without even having a mechanism for the verification of academic credentials.

"I think that's what caused the whole Shin Jeong-ah scandal."

He said university management tends to prefer those who received a doctorate from a foreign school, adding that without a close examination of their theses, schools jump to the conclusion that they are somehow better than those who just studied in Korea or in a school with a relatively lower academic reputation.

"People's way of thinking won't change easily," he said. "But, it's definitely necessary to make the effort to change society by getting rid of systematic obstacles, such as looking at schools upon processing job applications, for the effective development of our society."

By Ahn Hyo-lim

(iamhyol@heraldm.com)

2007.09.20