The haves in Korea spend 1.6 times more money on their children’s private education than the have-nots do, a local civic group said Wednesday.

The top 10 percent income earners spend an average of 368,700 won ($335) per household in the third quarter of 2014, A World Without Worries About Private Education said, citing data from Statistics Korea. But the bottom 10 percent spent 22,200 won.

While the spending for the top 10 percent decreased by 0.8 percent compared to the same period in 2013, the bottom 10 percent saw a much more drastic drop of 39.5 percent. The overall average spending on private education per household also dropped during the same period from 182,900 to 179,000 won.

“The Education Ministry must implement a policy that will ensure that the disparity in private education spending does not lead to a difference in the quality of education (the rich and the poor) receive,” the group said.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)