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

Table of Contents 
Chapter One—Overview of Study ............................................................................. 
1 
 
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 
1 
 
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................ 
2 
 
Research Questions .............................................................................................. 
3 
 
Background and Context...................................................................................... 
4 
 
 
A Glance of the South Korean English Educational System ......................... 
4 
 
 
Why South Korean Students Study English Extensively .............................. 
5 
 
 
The Size and Expense of English Education in South Korea ........................ 
8 
 
 
The Problem of South Korean English Education ......................................... 
11 
 
 
Why South Korean Students Attend American Colleges .............................. 
12 
 
 
 
Economic Power of the United States ..................................................... 
12 
 
 
 
Good Quality of Higher Education .......................................................... 
15 
 
 
 
Students From al Around the World in the American Colleges 
and Universities ....................................................................................... 
16 
 
 
 
Variety of Institutions: Liberal Art Colleges, Women’s 
Colleges, Universities, Colleges, and Community Colleges ................... 
17 
Chapter Two—Review of the Relevant Literature .................................................... 
20 
 
Reasons that International Students Come to the United States .......................... 
20 
 
Perspectives and Experiences of Studying English at American 
Colleges and Universities .................................................................................... 
22 
 
Push and Pull Factors ........................................................................................... 
26 
 
Ineffectiveness of English-Medium Courses in Korean Colleges ....................... 
28 
Chapter Three—Measurement ................................................................................... 
33 
 
Subjects ................................................................................................................ 
33 

---

ii 
 
 
Recruitment Process............................................................................................. 
33 
 
Interview Procedure ............................................................................................. 
34 
 
Method Procedure ................................................................................................ 
35 
 
Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 
36 
Chapter Four—Analysis and Results ......................................................................... 
37 
 
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 
37 
 
Summary of Findings ........................................................................................... 
38 
 
 
The Purposes for Studying Abroad in the United States ............................... 
38 
 
 
The Obstacles of Learning English in South Korea and the 
United States .................................................................................................. 
41 
 
 
 
Difficulties of Studying English in South Korea ..................................... 
42 
 
 
 
Difficulties of Studying English in the United States .............................. 
44 
   
Ranking the Difficulty of English Speaking, Listening, Writing, 
and Reading .................................................................................................... 
47 
 
 
Discovery of UNK ......................................................................................... 
49 
 
 
The Important Factors of Choosing UNK ..................................................... 
50 
 
 
Average Hours Spent on English in South Korea from Elementary 
to High School ............................................................................................... 
53 
 
 
The Level of Importance of English in Korea ............................................... 
54 
 
 
The Future Occupation Preferences of Koran Students ................................. 
54 
 
 
The Rank of English Education in Korea and the United States ................... 
55 
 
 
The Concerns of Korean Students Before and After Coming to 
UNK ............................................................................................................... 
60 
 
 
 
The Concerns of Korean Students Before Coming to UNK .................... 
61 
 
 
 
The Concerns of Korean Students After Coming to UNK ...................... 
62 

---

iii 
 
 
 
The Effectiveness of Preparing for and Reviewing After UNK 
Courses ........................................................................................................... 
65 
 
Results of Research Questions ............................................................................. 
66 
 
 
What motivations make South Korean students decide to come to 
the United States? .......................................................................................... 
66 
 
 
What kinds of challenges do Korean students struggle with in 
terms of studying and learning English in Korea and the 
United States? ................................................................................................ 
70 
 
 
What factors influence Korean students who choose to 
attend UNK? .................................................................................................. 
73 
 
 
What perceptions about studying English and valuing English do 
South Korean students have both before and after coming to UNK? ............ 
75 
 
 
What concerns do South Korean students address in terms of 
studying English before and after coming to UNK? ...................................... 
77 
 
 
How do the responses to the above questions differ based on 
gender and the duration of the study abroad program? .................................. 
85 
Chapter Five—Discussion and Implications ............................................................. 
87 
 
Implication ........................................................................................................... 
87 
 
 
Comparing Lee’s Previous Findings with this Study’s Findings................... 
87 
 
 
Comparing Yin et al.’s Previous Findings with this Study’s 
Findings.......................................................................................................... 
88 
 
 
Comparing Altbach’s, Chow’s, and Lee’s Previous Findings with 
this Study’s Findings...................................................................................... 
90 
 
 
Comparing Byun et al.’s Previous Findings with this Study’s 
Findings.......................................................................................................... 
93 
 
Recommendation for Future Research ................................................................. 
95 
References .................................................................................................................. 
98 
Appendices ................................................................................................................. 
103 
 

---

iv