Starting from this semester of 2012, it has been decided for the amount of “Self-Development Scholarship” to be increased from 4,500 won to 5,000 won. The “Self-Development Scholarship” is a system that allows students to work part-time jobs at our school for a scholarship. Thus, our school provides positions for these students at the school libraries and administrative departments to work as interns, and then give out scholarships for their work. This scholarship was initially 4,500 won per hour. However, from March, the sum has increased by 500 won, thus 5,000 won per hour. Hwang Youngsik, the team manager of the Student Service Center says that the scholarship “...not only provides financial aid for our students, but they also get the chance to learn how it’s like to work in an office and real work environments. Some students have actually said that their past experience as interns has helped them adjust to their new career life.” Naturally the increase in salary for the school interns is good news for all, yet some tend to stay at a skeptical point of view of this change. “The increase was inevitable. I heard that the salary was below the minimum wages for at least two months.” says Yu Areum, School of English 11, currently working as a school library intern. The minimum wages appointed by the laws has increased to 4,580 won, starting from the first of January this year.
