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We are not sure how common uniforms are in primary schools, but a number of schools do have them. We see primary school children wearing a range of fashionable styles. Korean primary schools are notable for the variation in these uniforms. Japanese school uniforms in contrast are much less varied. We see styles at Korean schools that we have not noted in other countries, including popular British styles. Several schools had vest-like garments. The school here is an example. We also note sailor suit outfits being worn, although we are not sure how common this was. Boys in the 1970s wore military cadet uniforms as in Japan. I only notice this at secondary schools. They look to be the same style cadet uniforms worn in Japan. Japan held Korea as a colony for several decades (1909-45). This shows the very significant Japanese influence in Korean education. This seems to have been very common. I'm not sure if it was a national mandate. Nor or we sure if this is still the case today. Hopefully Korean readers will provide us more information.
Korean schools both durung and after the the Japanese colonial era wore the cadet uniforms connonly worn in Japan. Not all schools had uniforms, but many did, especially the secondary schools. Gradually Korean schools have begun to adopt new styles. This appears to be up to each individual school to determin their uniform. While primary schools have adopted a wide range of different styles, the secondary schools seems to have mostly selected British styles, striped ties and blazers. We do not have a lot of information on Korean schools. We are unsure how many schools have made this transition, but we see quite a number of Korean schools with these British-styled uniforms. We note both blue and blsack blazers. We are unsure tobwhat extent other colors have been adopted for school blazers. We do not notice caps being worn. We do notice both boys and girls wearing the blazers and ties.
Several schools had vest-like garments. The school here is an example (figure 1). The vests were made both match the pants and to contrast with them. Hosiery varied, but we see quite a number of bioys wearing whute tights with these vest uniforms.
We also note sailor suit outfits being worn, although we are not sure how common this was. Nor do we know if girls wore sailor outfits as was common in Japan, especially girls at secondary schools. A reader has sent us a photograph from on school which we think is Korean. It seems to be a private school with coordinated uniforms. Boys and girls wear the same middy blouses, but the boys wear shorts and the girls pleated skirts. Both the boys and giels wear white tights, mostly with sneakers. The one boy who stands out (perhaps the bad boy of the group) seems to have on white knee socks which he has rolled down to look like anklets. He seems to be the only child with bare legs. There seems to be a curious mixture here of
formality and informality. The red and white shorts look almost like modern American basketball shorts (worn very long), but the white tights are quite dressy. I've never seen school uniforms quite like this before. The children look to be about 8-9 years old, equivalent to the 3rd or 4th grade in American terms.
Boys in the 1970s wore military cadet uniforms as in Japan. I noticed this at secondary schools, but we also see primary children wearing these caset uniforms. They look to be the same style cadet uniforms worn in Japan. Japan held Korea as a colony for several decades (1909-45). This shows the very significant Japanese influence in Korean education. This seems to have been almost universal during the Japanese colonial era. I think it might have been a Japanese regulation. These uniforns continued even after liberation at the end of World War II. Nor or we sure if this is still the case today. As best we can tell, many schools have adopted new uniforms. This seems to be done at the discression of each individual school. Many primary schools have adopted entirely new styles. And manyb secondary schools have shifted to British styles like ties and blazers. We do not know to what extent the cadet uniforms are still worn in Korea.
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