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South Korea Faces School Closures Amid Plummeting Birth Rate

12/31/2025

24 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Ministry of Education reports 4,008 South Korean schools have closed, mostly junior schools, due to shrinking enrollments.
Rep. Jin Sun-mee (National Assembly, South Korea) notes 158 closures in the last five years and 107 anticipated in the next five years.
South Korea's birth rate remains below 0.8, which drives school closures.
Most closures occur in North Jeolla, followed by South Jeolla, Gyeonggi, and South Chungcheong.

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Story summary

The Ministry of Education reports 4,008 South Korean schools have closed, mostly junior schools, due to shrinking enrollments.
Rep. Jin Sun-mee (National Assembly, South Korea) notes 158 closures in the last five years and 107 anticipated in the next five years.
South Korea's birth rate remains below 0.8, which drives school closures.
Most closures occur in North Jeolla, followed by South Jeolla, Gyeonggi, and South Chungcheong.