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Education Ministry notifies universities of expanded medical school quotas for 2027-2031
South Korea on Friday confirmed the medical school admission quota for the 2027 academic year will increase to 3,538, as part of a five-year plan to boost the number of newly qualified doctors by 2031. The Ministry of Education said it has notified universities of the increased medical school admission quotas allocated to select institutions. There will be 490 additional seats in 2027 and 613 more seats annually from 2028 to 2031, compared to the base figure of 3,058 in 2024. The government emph
March 13, 2026 -
Would Michelangelo have welcomed KAIST’s solution to dripping paint?
A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a method to prevent liquid from dripping when applied to surfaces facing downward, a problem famously associated with the struggles of Michelangelo while painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome more than 500 years ago. The institution said Thursday that the team led by mechanical engineering professor Kim Hyoung-soo reexamined how gravity interacts with liquids using interfacial fluid dynamics and
March 12, 2026 -
Leaving a teaching job in Korea? Here's what foreign instructors need to know
When a private English academy in South Korea abruptly terminated a 30-year-old American instructor’s contract, her first thoughts were about her visa and pay. “I remember going blank, thinking about what was going to happen to my visa, and whether I would be able to receive my severance pay,” said the instructor, who asked to remain anonymous. Her concerns are shared by many foreign national teachers working in South Korea. As of 2024, 13,443 instructors were residing in the country under the E
March 12, 2026 -
Seoul ramps up support for students with international backgrounds
Seoul’s education authority is expanding support for students from multicultural families and migrant backgrounds as their numbers rise in schools across the city. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Thursday unveiled a comprehensive support plan that includes establishing a second multicultural education support center and improving school environments to help such students and their parents better adapt to the Korean education system. The second Seoul Multicultural Education Support
March 12, 2026 -
Nearly half of Korean high school students use AI weekly for studies: survey
Nearly half of South Korean high school students regularly use artificial intelligence in their studies, a recent survey found. According to research released Wednesday by the Jinhak Educational Assessment Research Institute, 47.7 percent of students said they use artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and Gemini, for studying at least once a week. By frequency, 25.2 percent said they use AI tools one to two times a week, 14.4 percent reported using them three or more times week and 8.
March 11, 2026 -
More regions pay grandparents for child care
Jeju will begin offering stipends to grandparents caring for their grandchildren starting in March, following strong public approval of a similar program in Seoul. A survey conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in February found that 99.2 percent of guardians were satisfied with the program, while 99.5 percent said they would recommend it to other caregivers. “I want to give my parents money for taking care of my children, but I’m glad the city is supporting them on my behalf,” said a p
March 10, 2026 -
Students showcase research at National History Day Korea
Hallways at Seoul International School in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, were packed as more than 800 students from 37 schools across South Korea gathered for National History Day Korea — an international competition promoting historical research among middle and high school students. Under this year’s theme, “Revolution, Reaction and Reform,” students presented projects ranging from short documentaries and research papers to websites and theatrical performances during the event Saturday. Topics r
March 9, 2026 -
Local elections revive international school pledges, but can they be met?
The establishment of international schools is re-emerging as a major education pledge ahead of the local elections across Korea scheduled for June 3. Supporters of the plans cite the example of Jeju Island, which hosts four international schools and has used them to help revitalize rural areas, presenting international schools as a way to transform local communities. They say the schools could provide an environment attractive to global talent and draw Korean demand for overseas education back t
March 8, 2026 -
Korea moves to ban deepfake use in education superintendent elections
South Korea is moving to ban the use of deepfake content in the upcoming regional education superintendent elections slated for June 3, 2026. According to the National Assembly’s legislation information system, a bill to amend the Act on Local Education Autonomy passed the Education Committee’s bill review subcommittee on Feb. 26. The bill seeks to apply deepfake regulations under the Public Official Election Act to local superintendent elections, and was first introduced by Rep. Kim Moon-soo of
March 8, 2026 -
Sejong University earns top govt. certification for internationalization
Sejong University has received the highest grade in a government certification assessing universities’ internationalization capabilities, including their ability to attract foreign students and enhance the global competence of domestic students. According to the university on Friday, it was recently designated an “excellent” accredited institution under the International Education Quality Assurance System administered by South Korea’s Ministry of Education. The certification is valid through Feb
March 6, 2026 -
Housing divide widens Seoul elementary enrollment gap
The gap in first-grade enrollment at elementary schools has widened sharply this year, reaching a 59-fold difference between schools within the same district. As a result, some campuses face potential closure, while others contend with overcrowded classrooms. Researchers attribute the imbalance to a combination of factors, including differences in educational environments and the impact of new housing developments near certain schools. They also point to a growing tendency among parents to avoid
March 4, 2026 -
KNU to become first Korean public university to launch overseas franchise program
Kyungpook National University and Vietnam’s FPT University will sign a memorandum of agreement Thursday to operate a franchised degree program in Hanoi, the Ministry of Education said Tuesday. A franchised degree program allows a foreign partner university to deliver the curriculum of a Korean university, enabling students to earn degrees from the Korean university without studying in Korea. The initiative will mark the first time a South Korean public university has operated such a program over
March 4, 2026 -
Education Ministry to expand early childcare subsidies to 4-year-olds
The Ministry of Education said Tuesday that children aged 4 and 5 will be eligible to receive education and childcare subsidies starting in March 2026. The measure is part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s broader pledge to expand state support for early childhood care. The ministry began subsidizing parents of 5-year-olds in 2025 and plans to extend the benefit to 4-year-olds this year, with coverage for 3-year-olds slated for 2027. According to a survey conducted by Statistics Korea in Dec
March 3, 2026 -
KDI School named top-tier university for international student management for 6th year
The KDI School of Public Policy and Management has again earned top status under a government evaluation system that measures universities’ support and management of international students, marking its sixth consecutive year at the highest level. In the latest review, the school was newly certified in the fourth assessment round of the International Education Quality Assurance System, a program jointly run by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice. The system evaluates how well un
Feb. 25, 2026 -
Youth journalists challenge ban on minors registering media outlets
Students braved near-freezing temperatures outside Seoul's Constitutional Court on Tuesday to call for legal recognition of youth-led media and to challenge legal provisions they say restrict press freedoms. "We had to stand up against oppression from the school with our bare hands," said Moon Sung-ho, a 15-year-old student at Yeonshin Middle School and editor-in-chief of Tokipul, an independent student newspaper. "Registering our newspaper as an official media outlet would protect us under the
Feb. 24, 2026