Korean 15-year-olds’ reading ability dropped significantly over the last three years, an OECD report showed Tuesday, with officials partly linking the decline to heavier use of digital and social media. The average reading score fell to 501 from 515 in 2022. Korea’s reading rank range slipped to third to 13th from second to 12th. The report also showed small, statistically negligible declines in mathematics and science.
A student browses books at a large bookstore in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
Korean 15-year-olds' reading ability dropped significantly over the last three years, an OECD report showed Tuesday, likely partly due to the increased use of digital and social media.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment 2025, the cohort's average reading score was 501, down 14 points from the previous assessment in 2022.
The latest assessment was conducted over three years involving approximately 760,000 students in 91 countries, including 38 OECD member states.
