New figures show that high income households spent up to five times more on private education than lower income families, though overall spending was lower this year due to the pandemic.

A joint study released on Tuesday by the Education Ministry and Statistics Korea looked at spending patterns on private education for elementary to high school students around the country.

Figures show that last year, the national average spending on private education per student was 289-thousand won a month, down 10-point-one percent on-year.

However, spending on high school students bucked the trend and was higher than last year, as was the amount of private education they received.

High income households spent, on average, 210-thousand won more than those in lower income households. Those in Seoul spent more than other regions at an average 433-thousand won per student.