Korea's zeal for education is known around the world, but that exuberance has put a tremendous amount of pressure on its children.<br />What's ironic is though, is that these kids say they feel healthy.<br />Connie Kim takes a look at what may be behind the contradiction and the rising challenge Korea may be facing.<br /><br />Korea is well known for its high education fever, but its schoolchildren are under an immense amount of pressure to succeed in the academic world.<br />A report by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs measuring Korean children's academic stress... shows that 50 percent of children in a 2013 survey scored a 3 or higher out of 4 on the academic stress index. <br />The index accounts for elements such as children's preschool enrollment and academic achievements.<br /><br />But while stress typically takes a toll on a person's health, the report says this isn't the case for Korean children.<br />When asked about their health, an overwhelming 97-percent of the children surveyed said they believe they are in good or average physical health.<br />These seemingly contradictory results partly reflect the unique Korean characteristic of enduring hardship, according to one expert, and the high priority on education.<br /><br /><br />"In Korea, admission to a prestigious university is considered an important milestone. I believe this widespread perception shapes students' ability to endure stress and feel physically fine."<br /><br />Psychologists, however, worry that children do not feel a need to relieve stress.<br />That, if left unchecked, it could lead to various side effects such as violent behavior or addiction.<br /><br /><br />"There are generally two ways of relieving stress -- calming yourself down or letting it out. For children, it's important that parents acknowledge their stress levels and help them let it out."<br /><br />Writing in a journal or taking the time to enjoy a hobby are recommended outlets, however, psychologists say these aren't remedies but a band-aid on the problem.<br />What's more important, they say, is for Korean s
