Sejong Univ. professors named among the world's most influential researchers

Sejong University said Wednesday that two of its professors have been included for the second consecutive year on Clarivate’s annual list of the world’s Highly Cited Researchers. The list, published each year by the global academic analytics firm, identifies the most influential scholars across disciplines based on how frequently their research papers from the past decade have been cited by other studies. Only the top 1 percent of the most cited researchers worldwide are selected. Professors Bai

Jan. 1, 2026

Korea wants foreign students, but does it want the graduates?

Rosa and Andrua Haque moved from Bangladesh to South Korea with their parents 15 years ago. Now 27 years old, the twins went on to study at Yonsei University and Seoul National University, respectively, before embarking on markedly different career paths. The sister was recently hired by biopharmaceutical giant Samsung Biologics, while her brother founded a startup from scratch. “It’s ironic coming from me, but I wouldn't even consider hiring international students,” the entrepreneur told The Ko

Dec. 31, 2025

Foreign graduate hiring rises despite overall slowdown

The hiring rate for international students who graduated from South Korean universities rose over 50 percent last year, according to government data, despite a slight fall in overall graduate hiring. About 1 in 3 job-seeking foreign graduates found work in Korea, data released by the Ministry of Education Monday showed, up from 21.7 percent the year before. Officials cautioned that the increase partly reflects changes in survey methodology, including the use of resident registration numbers star

Dec. 30, 2025

Teen suicides prompt mental health overhaul at Korea's schools

South Korea’s education authorities on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive plan to strengthen student mental health support, as teenage suicide numbers continued to rise over the past four years, heightening concern over students’ psychological well-being. According to data released by the Ministry of Education, reported teenage suicides increased from 197 cases in 2021 to 221 in 2024, with the Seoul metropolitan area accounting for 118 cases — more than half of last year’s total. South Gyeongsang

Dec. 30, 2025

Ulsan’s only foreign school renamed Ulsan Hyundai International School

Ulsan’s only foreign school offering an international curriculum, Hyundai Foreign School, will be renamed Ulsan Hyundai International School, in a move aimed at strengthening its ties with the local community. According to South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai, which operates the school, the new name will take effect Jan. 5. The school was founded in 1982 to serve the children of shipyard workers living in Ulsan’s Dong-gu, where large-scale shipbuilding facilities are concentrated. Over time, the

Dec. 30, 2025

Universities open regular admissions as competition heats up

Regular admissions for the 2026 academic year opened Monday, with shrinking quotas and this year's challenging college entrance exam expected to intensify competition. According to the Korea Council for University Education, four-year universities will accept applications through Wednesday, while community colleges will continue until Jan. 14. A total of 193 four-year universities will admit 69,272 students through the regular track, about 19.8 percent of total intake and 1,416 fewer seats than

Dec. 29, 2025

[Best Brand] Korea International School, partnering with MIT to nurture STEM minds

Since 2014, Korea International School has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to deliver immersive science, technology, engineering and mathematics workshops for middle and high school students. At the heart of the program is a distinctive, student-centered model. MIT students design and lead short courses that translate advanced concepts into hands-on learning experiences for young minds. KIS students explore real-world applications of STEM and gain early exposure to poten

Dec. 29, 2025

[Best Brand] Seoul Cyber University, pioneering digital higher learning

Seoul Cyber University has established itself as a leading institution in Korea’s online higher education sector, earning consistent recognition for academic quality, institutional scale and educational innovation. The university received the top “A” grade in three consecutive evaluations conducted by the Ministry of Education, which certifies and assesses online universities nationwide. Seoul Cyber University achieved the highest rating in the ministry’s evaluations in 2007, 2013 and 2020, unde

Dec. 29, 2025

Korea expands AI education, but long-term vision in question

South Korea is pushing to cultivate “artificial intelligence talent,” a core pledge of President Lee Jae Myung, who has vowed to make the country one of the world’s “top three AI powerhouses.” “We must fully implement AI education,” Lee said during a press conference in September marking 100 days since his inauguration. “We must build the capacity of our people to adapt to and use AI.” As education authorities race to embed artificial intelligence into classrooms nationwide, some critics warn th

Dec. 24, 2025

Education minister weighs expanding teachers' political rights

Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin said he wants to grant teachers greater political rights and expand school autonomy, arguing that South Korea cannot strengthen democratic citizenship education while educators remain tightly restricted. “What we really want to do is complete school autonomy, and what must precede it is restoring the school community,” Choi said at a meeting with reporters marking 100 days since he took office Monday. “There are many teachers who have worked in the name of school

Dec. 23, 2025

Professors took students’ exams to avoid department shutdown

Three professors and a teaching assistant in Gwangju were fined for taking exams on behalf of their students in an attempt to prevent their department from being abolished, the Gwangju District Court said Monday. The four were fined between 1.5 million won and 6 million won ($1,000 to $4,000) after being found guilty of obstructing academic operations and aiding and abetting the obstruction of business. The defendants had directly recruited students to fill their department’s enrollment quota, a

Dec. 23, 2025

Global education, gated access: Who gets into Korea’s international schools

On weekday mornings in Jeju’s Global Education City, students stream into sprawling campuses offering the International Baccalaureate, British A-levels and American high school diplomas. Classes are conducted almost entirely in English with college counselors specializing in US and UK college admissions — far removed from the pressures of Korea’s grueling college entrance exam, Suneung. But for most Korean families, this world remains legally out of reach. South Korea’s foreign and international

Dec. 22, 2025

Education Ministry honors top international students

The Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education held a year-end gathering Wednesday, honoring international students enrolled in the government's flagship scholarship program. The Global Korea Scholarship supports foreign national students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in South Korea. Since its launch in 1967, the program has supported more than 19,500 students from 161 countries. Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin presented awards to three students in

Dec. 18, 2025

S. Korea to revise Africa depictions in textbooks after civic group campaigns

The South Korean government will revise depictions of Africa in Korean textbooks to place more emphasis on the positive sides of the continent, an internet-based civic group said Wednesday. The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea said the Ministry of Education has decided to scale back negative descriptions and imagery associated with Africa, including poverty, refugees and famine, as well as references to the “world hunger map.” The new editions will instead focus on Africa’s growth potential, dr

Dec. 17, 2025

Seoul council moves to repeal student rights ordinance for the second time

The Seoul Metropolitan City Council on Tuesday passed a motion to abolish the city’s student rights ordinance for the second time, moving to repeal the order on students’ protection from discrimination based on sex, religion, family structure, gender identity and sexual orientation. The motion was approved at a plenary session with the support of 65 out of 86 members. A nearly identical bill was pushed through the council in 2024 by the conservative People Power Party, which holds a majority of

Dec. 16, 2025