Understanding the Importance of English Education in South Korea and Exploring the Reasons Why South Korean Students Come to a University in the Midwest

Chapter Five 
Discussion and Implications  
 
This chapter explains about the comparison between the findings of this research 
and the previous findings which were written in the Review of the Relevant Literature.  
Furthermore, the researcher of this study indicates the future research in Chapter Five.     
Implications 
Comparing Lee’s previous findings with this study’s findings.  As previously 
stated, the researcher wrote the literature review and mentioned that the findings of this 
research and the previous findings will be compared and summarized in this research 
paper.  The first item in the literature review was written by Dr. Lee, and she discovered 
that one third of her international interviewees was informed by their friends regarding 
U.S. higher education information.  Furthermore, 14% and 13% of Dr. Lee’s interviewees 
heard American colleges’ and universities’ information from their school counselors and 
teachers and family members who studied outside of their countries (Lee, 2008).  Only 4% 
of Dr. Lee’s interviewees worked with American college and university recruiters and 
came through the exchange programs.   
Through Chapter Four, the researcher was able to find that the majority of the 30 
Korean students received the information from their home universities, especially the 
Office of International Affairs.  In addition, 22 out of the 30 Korean students came to 
UNK under the exchange and visiting agreements signed by host universities and UNK’s 
chancellors.  In other words, the 22 Korean students applied for UNK because they 
wanted to take advantage of receiving the transferable credits and improving their 

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English abilities.  Moreover, 7 out of 30 Korean students received the UNK information 
from their relatives and friends.  As a result, the researcher found that, between this 
study’s findings and Dr. Lee’s previous findings, there were the differences.  For example, 
Dr. Lee’s interviewees came to America because of their close friends.  However, the 
majority of this study’s interviewees came to UNK because of the partnership 
relationships between UNK and their home universities.  Only 4% of Dr. Lee’s 
interviewees came to America under the exchange agreements and through American 
college and university recruiters, but two thirds of the 30 Korean students came to UNK 
because of the two parties’ exchange or visiting agreements.  The researcher found that 
the original source of American college and university information could depend on the 
nationality of students; for example, Dr. Lee’s students came from several countries 
around the world; and this study’s interviewees all came from South Korea.  In addition, 
interestingly, UNK has employed the Korean recruitment specialist since Spring 2011, so 
this person has developed initial student recruitment plans, created diverse relationships 
with Korean universities, and brought a great number of Korean students to UNK.  
Therefore, more than 20 Korean students were aware of UNK and decided to come to 
UNK campus through their home universities. 
Moreover, Dr. Lee (2008) discovered that many international students strongly 
believe that the value of the institution’s name is one of the most important factors for 
them to choose; especially students who come from East Asian countries, such as South 
Korea, Japan, and China.  However, none of the 30 Korean students decided to come to 
UNK because of the institution’s reputation.  Instead, the majority of the 30 Korean 

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students came to UNK due to the reasonable tuition and the discount offer.  As a result, 
the researcher found that Korean students do not always decide to come to American 
colleges or universities because of schools’ reputations.  However, it is more likely for 
Korean students to come to American colleges and universities because of affordable 
tuition and tuition remission.