We don't need no education. Do we ?

In Korea, cities are merging*, and schools too.


500 small rural schools will be closed by 2012. That's more than one third of all schools outside of Seoul. Every establishment responsible for fewer than 60 kids.


Of course, you can't beat demographics. Even with the significant contribution of foreign spouses in the countryside, South Korea keeps breaking all negative records of birth rates.


But what should be a natural but long process has obviously be hastened by the government for budgetary reasons. So 500 villages will miss the lively song of pupils learning just hectometers away from home.


After this small but traumatic death, many shall keep bitter "memories of murder".




* see "Seongnam and Hanam merge"