Koreans’ total spending on private education hit an all-time high in 2024, as parents spared no expenses for their children to survive in the pervasive competition that shows no signs of letting up despite a population decline, government data showed, Thursday.

According to the data, compiled jointly by Statistics Korea and the Ministry of Education, the total spending on private after-school classes for primary, middle and high school students reached 29.2 trillion won ($20.07 billion) in 2024.

The 2024 figure shows Korea once again broke its own record concerning private education expenditures for the fourth consecutive year.