For subscribers

As school enrolments shrink, South Korea woos foreign students, including Singaporeans

Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments

mcschool - A sign at the gate of Seoul Hwayang Elementary School located in the east of the capital city of South Korea says the site will remain closed until it is sold or used for other purposes. Opened in 1983, the school closed in January after sending off its last batch of 18 graduates. Its other 66 students have been re-assigned to other schools in the neighbourhood. The closing of schools used to be a phenomenon in the rural areas, but has now spread to the big cities as South Korea grapples with a world-lowest fertility rate of 0.78 in 2022.

Credit: Chang May Choon

A sign at Seoul Hwayang Elementary School in South Korea says the site will remain closed until it is sold or used for other purposes.

ST PHOTO: CHANG MAY CHOON

Follow topic:

On the first day of the spring term as boisterous pupils returned to schools, all was quiet at Seoul Hwayang Elementary School.

March 2 would have marked its 40th anniversary since it opened to pupils living in the eastern Gwangjin district. 

See more on