49 schools in South Korea to shut down amid declining population: Education ministry data
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With 88 per cent of the schools slated for closure being located in rural areas, concerns are growing over the gap in the school-age population between Seoul and rural areas.
PHOTO: AFP
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SEOUL - More schools will close in 2025 as South Korea’s school-age population continues to decline, data showed on Feb 23.
According to Education Ministry data submitted to Representative Jin Sun-mi of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 49 elementary, middle and high schools in 17 cities and provinces will be shut down in 2025.
The number of schools closed due to student shortages has rapidly increased in recent years, rising from 22 in 2023 to 33 in 2024.
With 88 per cent of the schools slated for closure by the end of 2025 being located in rural areas, concerns are growing over the gap in the school-age population between Seoul and rural areas.
By region, the capital city has no schools on the verge of closing, while six schools are set to be closed in Gyeonggi Province.
South Jeolla Province recorded the highest number of schools facing closure with 10, followed by South Chungcheong Province with nine, North Jeolla Province with eight, and Gangwon Province with seven.
Thirty-eight of the 49 schools designated for shutdown are elementary schools, making up the vast majority, while eight are middle schools and three are high schools.
Elementary schools in rural areas are also struggling with a lack of new enrolments.
As many as 42 schools across North Gyeongsang Province do not have any first graders set to enrol in March, data showed.
The situation is similar in other regions. The number of schools without children set to begin state-mandated education reached 32 in South Jeolla Province, 25 in North Jeolla Province and 21 in Gangwon Province. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
