View of the world's biggest soccer ball in the Europapark in Rust, southern Germany, Monday, April 3, 2006. The ball, erected to mark, the World Cup 2006 in Germany, has a volume of 38.793 cubic meters and is 43 meters high. (AP Photo/Winfried Rothermel)



Soaring Educational Expenditures

As a new semester commences, expenditures for public education and hakwon tuition are increasing, up 2.0% compared to last year. According to a release regarding Trends of the Consumer Price Index during March by the National Statistics Office, the national consumer price index during March this year soared 2.0% compared to the same month last year, which is the lowest percentage since last August.

The consumer price index of Busan increased 1.6% and that of Ulsan and Kyongnam province was up 1.9% compared to the same month last year, almost identical to the average national consumer price index.

A unnamed source from the office said, “Characteristic for the consumer price index, due to oversupply of vegetables and fruit during March consumption prices were a little down, but the price index of public and private services soared in March.” In detail, tuition and hakwon fees in the educational field were up 4.7% and 3.7%, respectively, compared to last year. National and private university tuition were up 6.8% and 7.7%, respectively, this year.

The rate of increase of tuition in Busan was a little higher compared with other regional universities. Aside from educational expenses, cost of living, including groceries, was up 2.6% compared to the same month last year, the lowest percentage since 2002.

In regard to the price index for cost of living in Busan and Kyongnam, it is estimated that a little increase was shown, comparatively lower than the national increase index.
/ 입력시간: 2006. 04.04. 08:52