Korean students putting off graduation

A growing number of university students are postponing graduation until they secure a job. Remaining enrolled allows them to use campus facilities for job hunting. They also want to avoid a rushed job search, because a person's first job dictates long-term pay and career prospects. An analysis by the Hankook Ilbo confirmed this trend. The newspaper reviewed disclosures from AcademyInfo, a state-run higher education portal, and Ministry of Education data submitted to Rep. Jung Sung-kook of the People Power Party. Applications for programs allowing students to defer graduation jumped 45.5 percent at eight four-year universities in Seoul. These include Konkuk, Dongguk, Sogang, Yonsei, Chung-Ang, Hanyang, Hongik and Ewha Womans University. The number rose from 4,825 in 2022 to 7,020 in April this year, but the actual number is likely higher. Resume gap stigma, loss of campus perks fuel graduation delays The figures exclude students who postpone graduation by completing their coursework but not the procedures to receive their diplomas, or whose studies take longer than the traditional four ye