Seoul has more than 310 English-language kindergartens known for their high cost, about twice as much as annual college tuition, a civic group said.

The number of English-language kindergartens in the capital totaled 311 as of the end of last year, an increase of 17 from the previous year, according to the group named World Without Private Education Worries.

Two southern Seoul wards of Gangnam and Seocho accounted for 86 of the total, with 54 located in adjacent Gangdong and Songpa wards.

The average monthly tuition fee for the English kindergartens was 1,126,000 won ($874), an increase of 30,573 won from the previous year, the civic group said. (Yonhap)