Ranked 3rd in Academic Competence, 34th in Mental Health... United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Urges Shift in Child Policy

[Financial News] According to a comparison by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) of the quality of life of children in economically advanced countries, Korean children ranked 3rd in academic competence but only 34th in mental health. A proposal has been made to change child policies to ensure physical and mental health alongside academic achievement.
According to UNICEF Korea on the 10th, the committee held a press conference with National Assembly members Kim Young-bae, Ko Min-jung, and Lee Hae-sik at the National Assembly Communication Center and presented four major policy tasks to improve the quality of life for children.
Comparing UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight's Innocenti Report Cards 16, 19, and 20, the ranking of Korean children's academic competence rose from 11th to 4th and then to 3rd. Physical health dropped from 13th to 28th and then to 30th, while mental health remained at 34th.
The overall ranking for children's quality of life was 27th out of 36 countries. Life satisfaction was 65%, the seventh lowest among the 36 countries. The youth suicide rate was 10.33 per 100,000 people, the fifth highest among 42 countries.
In terms of ranking, academic competence rose by 8 places while physical health dropped by 17 places. The fact that academic and health indicators moved in different directions demonstrates that it is difficult to evaluate children's growth conditions based solely on educational outcomes.
The committee and lawmakers proposed establishing a national legal and institutional framework to create a child-friendly environment, building a mental health support system that connects prevention, detection, intervention, and recovery, guaranteeing the rights to physical activity, play, and rest, and expanding child participation in policy-making processes.
Jang Hyo-ju, an activist from the youth group Eobuba who attended as a child representative, said, "When creating policies for children, please listen directly to their stories and create them together."
The committee will continue related discussions at the National Assembly policy forum commemorating the 30th anniversary of UNICEF Child-Friendly Cities Global on the 17th.
Heo Geum-ju, Secretary General of UNICEF Korea, emphasized, "We must shift to policies that go beyond academic achievement and ensure a balanced overall quality of life for children."

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