Nearly half of Korean teens unhappy

   Teenagers in Korea feel the least happy in 26 OECD countries and one of 10 thought of suicide at least once in the past year, according to two separate surveys released on the eve of Children's Day. A 2010 study by a Yonsei University research institute found only 53.9 percent of 5, 437 teenagers in Korea were satisfied with their life, the lowest level in the club of richest countries. This is 40.3 percent lower than in the Netherlands, where 94.2 percent of teenagers in the similar survey said they are happy. The OECD average, researched by the United Nation's Children's Emergency Fund, in 2006 was 84.8 percent.

   Suicide was by far the leading cause of death among teenagers. Goverment research found that 13.5 out of every 100,000 people between the ages of 15 and 24 committed suicide in 2008. Traffic accidents and cancer came next with 9.2 and 3.7, respectively.

   Education might not result in these facts but we should reconsider in mind about Korean teens. The happiness level among korean teenagers is extremely low. It is imperative we help them ease the stress they get from the university entrance exam.