Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — South Korea is set to shut down 49 schools across 17 cities and provinces this year as the country’s school-age population continues to decline.
The nation is grappling with a deepening demographic crisis, as more young people opt out of marriage and parenthood, pushing birth rates to record lows. As a result, several schools are being forced to shut down due to a lack of student enrollment.
The Government data shows the number of schools closing due to insufficient student numbers has surged in recent years. According to CNN Indonesia, 49 schools including elementary, middle, and high schools will be shut down across 17 cities and provinces This year.
Data from the Ministry of Education, disclosed during a parliamentary session on Sunday (February 23), revealed that 43 of these schools, roughly 88 percent are located outside the capital, Seoul.
The latest figure marks a significant increase compared to school closures in previous years. In 2020, South Korea shut down 33 schools, a number that dropped to 24 in 2021, 25 in 2022, and 22 in 2023 before rising again to 33 last year.
Most Affected Province
South Jeolla Province reported the highest number of schools facing closure, with 10 institutions set to shut down. It is followed by South Chungcheong Province with nine schools, North Jeolla Province with eight, and Gangwon Province with seven.
Of the 49 schools slated for closure, 38 are elementary schools, making up the majority, while eight are middle schools and three are high schools.
No New Student Enrollment
The data also highlighted that elementary schools in rural areas are struggling due to a lack of new student enrollments. In last academic year, 112 elementary schools across South Korea had no incoming students.
As of April 2024, North Jeolla Province recorded the highest number of elementary schools without new students, totaling 34. It was followed by North Gyeongsang Province with 17 schools, South Gyeongsang Province with 16, and both South Jeolla and South Chungcheong Provinces with 12 schools each. Gangwon Province recorded 11 schools without new students.
Meanwhile this year, an estimated 42 elementary schools in North Gyeongsang Province have not enrolled any new students, followed by 32 in South Jeolla, 26 in South Gyeongsang, 25 in North Jeolla, and 21 in Gangwon Province, according to data from metropolitan and provincial education offices.
South Korea’s persistently low birth rate has been a growing concern for the government in recent years. Authorities have introduced various initiatives aimed at reversing the trend, but the impact remains limited.
Birth Rate Crisis
South Korea declining population and persistently low birth rate has been a growing concern for the government in recent years. Authorities have introduced various initiatives aimed at reversing the trend, but the impact remains limited.
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Some experts warn that South Korea is facing a demographic crisis so severe that it could eventually lead to its population dwindling to unsustainable levels.
A mix of record-low birth rates, economic pressures, and shifting social norms has fueled fears that South Korea’s population, currently around 51 million could shrink to a third of its size by the end of the century.
If the trend persists, the nation could not only face school shutdown but broader impact on economic, labor, and social challenges in the coming decades.
(Raidi/Agung)
