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Scuffle breaks out as students at 16 universities condemn ballot shortage crisis
People swarmed 21-year-old Kim Min-su as he stepped down from the podium after speaking at a rally at Yonsei University’s Sinchon Campus in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, where students had gathered to condemn the recent ballot shortage crisis during the June 3 local elections. “You should be ashamed of yourself!” yelled a student dressed in black. Another student in a green polo shirt tried to hold back the crowd. Kim, a political science student, had just finished speaking during an open m
June 10, 2026 -
High school students with migrant backgrounds nearly triple in 5 years
The number of high school students with migrant backgrounds in South Korea has grown 2.7-fold over the past five years, surpassing 30,000 for the first time last year. The figure reached 33,622 as of April 2025, up 21.5 percent from 27,673 a year earlier. In 2020, the number stood at 12,478, according to Education Ministry statistics released Wednesday. The increase suggests that the country’s multicultural student population is entering a more mature stage, with more students with migrant backg
June 10, 2026 -
Will Korea’s schools go phone-free?
Many South Korean schools already limit smartphone use during class. But a proposal to ban smartphones for the entire school day, including lunch breaks and free periods, is gaining attention. The idea is drawing attention in Gyeonggi Province, home to the country’s largest student population, after superintendent-elect Ahn Min-seok identified it as one of his top priorities. Similar measures have been introduced in countries such as France and the United States. The proposal has received suppor
June 10, 2026 -
Students learn about Dokdo through Minecraft, games, AI
A boat carrying 32 teachers cut across the waters toward Dokdo last week, its passengers bringing more than luggage: handwritten letters from students, care packages for the Coast Guard and stories from classrooms where Dokdo is being taught through Minecraft maps, computer games and student-led projects. As the teachers disembarked, Dokdo Coast Guard officers greeted them with salutes. In return, the teachers handed over children’s carefully written letters of gratitude and gifts. Dokdo is Sout
June 10, 2026 -
Korea plans AI warning system to halve teen suicide rate by 2035
South Korea plans to use artificial intelligence to detect suicide warning signs among minors and to expand school-based mental health services, as the government aims to cut the student suicide rate by nearly half by 2035. The plan, unveiled Tuesday with the involvement of 15 government agencies, includes broader mental health screenings, stronger counseling services, crisis intervention programs and recovery support for students who have self-harmed or attempted suicide. The Education Ministry
June 9, 2026 -
How Korean teens see struggle for democracy they never lived through
Taking in the exhibits on activists who fought for and won democracy in South Korea before he was born, one middle schooler doubted he could have done the same. “If I had been a college student in 1987, I don’t think I would have been able to join the protests or take a leading role in the pro-democracy struggle because I would have been afraid of torture, guns and tear gas,” said 15-year-old Kang Hyun-joon. “But I think I would have tried to work for democracy in less visible ways.” Kang had ju
June 9, 2026 -
Accredited international schools gain appeal amid crackdown
As South Korean authorities step up oversight of unaccredited international schools, accredited institutions are attracting renewed interest from parents seeking greater certainty over academic credentials, educational quality and long-term stability. The Ministry of Education recently launched a task force to strengthen oversight of irregular educational facilities, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has begun special inspections of unaccredited international schools. The measures a
June 8, 2026 -
George Washington University seeks deeper Korea ties in AI, student exchange
George Washington University plans to deepen ties with South Korean universities as part of efforts to expand its research and degree programs in artificial intelligence, public health and international affairs, the university's president said. Ellen Granberg, who visited Seoul last week with a university delegation, said Korean universities have become increasingly important partners for GW as the Washington, DC-based institution seeks to expand international cooperation in fast-moving academic
June 8, 2026 -
Progressives increase hold on education policy
Progressive candidates have increased their number of education superintendents across the country, likely tipping the balance of power in education policy further toward the progressive bloc. The number of progressive superintendents, which stood at nine after the previous elections four years ago, rose to 11 in Wednesday’s election. Incumbent Seoul Metropolitan Education Superintendent Jung Geun-sik was declared the winner at around 8:40 a.m. Thursday, securing a second term after earning 30.5
June 4, 2026 -
Exit polls put Jung Geun-sik on course for second term as Seoul education chief
Incumbent Seoul Superintendent Jung Geun-sik was projected to secure a second term Wednesday, leading the city’s education chief race as vote counting continued. “I don’t think this is my victory. Rather, it was possible because Seoul citizens understood and trusted the major policies of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education over the past year and a half,” Jung said after learning of the exit poll results Wednesday. “I believe I will have to build an integrated Seoul education curriculum th
June 4, 2026 -
Jung Geun-sik projected to win second term as Seoul education chief: exit polls
Liberal candidate Jung Geun-sik was projected to win Seoul’s education superintendent race Wednesday, exit polls showed, securing a second term as head of the city’s education office. Polls closed at 6 p.m., with exit polls giving Jung 39 percent of the vote, ahead of conservative candidate Cho Chun-hyuk, who received 21.2 percent. The exit polls were conducted by Korea’s three major broadcasters, KBS, MBC and SBS, at 595 polling stations nationwide. They surveyed every fifth voter who cast a ba
June 3, 2026 -
Superintendent races leave voters with few clear choices as policy takes a back seat
Seoul’s crowded education superintendent race laid bare growing doubts over whether the current direct-election system helps voters choose education leaders based on policy. In the capital, both conservative and liberal blocs failed to field unified candidates, leaving eight contenders on the ballot for Wednesday's local elections in the most crowded superintendent race in the city’s history. Although education superintendent candidates do not run under party banners, they are widely grouped by
June 3, 2026 -
LA students turn K-pop class into pitches
US students taking K-pop classes in Los Angeles visited Korean content industry sites in the city to pitch projects, the South Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles said Tuesday. During the visit on May 20, the students worked in teams to present global marketing plans, fandom strategies, music trend analyses and concepts for K-pop groups to industry experts, who provided feedback on their projects. The students came from four middle and high schools in Los Angeles that currently offer K-pop c
June 2, 2026 -
Forget elite universities. Semiconductor high schools are the new hot ticket
Admission to a prestigious university is no longer seen as the only path to success for some students in South Korea, as semiconductor-focused high schools gain popularity on the expectation that they can lead directly to jobs at major chipmakers. Korea Semiconductor Meister High School in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, decided to hold a second admissions information session on June 20 after turnout at the initial session held May 30 exceeded the 120 seats prepared by the school. “More stu
June 2, 2026 -
Colombia opens first Korean classes for schoolchildren
Colombia will offer its first Korean-language classes for middle and high school students starting in August, Korea's Education Ministry said Monday. The classes will be available at three schools in Bogota: Instituto Pedagogico Arturo Ramirez Montufar, Colegio Nueva Granada and Fundacion Hogar Nueva Granada. They will be open to students from the seventh to ninth or 10th grades, depending on the school. Current Korean classes in Colombia are offered by the King Sejong Institute, local Korean-la
June 1, 2026