Korea's zeal for education is known around the world, but that exuberance has put a tremendous amount of pressure on its children.
Ironically,... many of these kids say they feel healthy.
But experts worry about long-term consequences.
Connie Kim has the details of the study.

Korea is well known for its high education fever, but its schoolchildren feel highly pressured to succeed in the academic world.
A report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs measuring Korean children's academic stress...
shows more than 50 percent of children in a 2013 survey scored a 3 or higher out of 4 on the academic stress index... higher than the global average.
The index accounts for elements such as children's preschool enrollment and academic achievements.

While stress typically takes a toll on a person's health, the report says this isn't the case for Korean children.
When asked about their health, an overwhelming 97-percent of the children surveyed said they believe they are in good or average physical health.
The research conductor says these seemingly contradictory results reflect the unique Korean characteristic of enduring hardship and the high priority on education.


"In Korea, admission to a prestigious university is considered an important milestone. I believe this widespread perception partly shapes students' ability to endure stress and feel physically fine."

Psychologists, however, worry that children do not feel the need to relieve stress.
That, if left unchecked, could lead to various side effects such as violent behavior or addiction.


"There are generally two ways of relieving stress -- calming yourself down or letting it out. For children, it's important that parents acknowledge their stress levels and help them let it out."

Writing in a journal or taking the time to enjoy a hobby are recommended outlets, but psychologists say these are just a band-aid on the problem.
What's more important, they say, is for Korean society to reflect on its valu