"Suicide top cause of youth death for a fifth year"

I just read in the newspaper (JoongAng Daily (English) May 5th, 09) that the leading cause of death for young people in Korea is suicide. Horrible, but not necessarily surprising. And people wonder why I don't want to send Leona to a Korean school... Oh, and this is the 5th year in a row that suicide has been the number one cause.

There is so much pressure on students here for academic performance, for passing the big university test, for getting into not only university, but the right university. I love living in Korea, and I love my job in a Korean high school. But I have no doubt that the education system in Korea is deeply flawed.

I feel always feel so sorry for students who commit suicide. As horrible as a student's life
can be, school is only temporary. Like all things, it passes. And the rest of your life is waiting for you beyond those minutes, days, and years. Unless it isn't, because you're dead.