South Korea sees record low student numbers amid rising multicultural population

South Korea's education system is grappling with a record low in student numbers, with the total enrollment in kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools dropping to 5,362,281 this year. This represents a significant decrease of 189,007 students, or 3.4%, from the previous year, a steeper decline than the 2.3% drop seen last year. The falling student population is a direct consequence of the nation's persistently low birth rate, a trend that has seen the school-age population fall below 5 million since 2021.

Elementary schools experienced the largest decrease, losing 126,118 students, a 5.4% reduction. Kindergartens saw a 2.5% drop, with 12,259 fewer students. Middle schools decreased by 31,606 students (2.3%), and high schools lost 20,074 students (1.5%).

In stark contrast, the number of students with multicultural backgrounds in elementary, middle, and high schools has surged to a record 210,838. This marks an increase of 8,630 students, or 4.3%, from the previous year. These students, whose parents' nationalities differ, now constitute 4.3% of the total student body, up from 4.0% last year. Vietnamese students are the largest group, making up 30.9% of multicultural students, followed by Chinese students (26.7%) and Filipino students (8.1%).

The number of foreign students enrolled in South Korean universities also saw a substantial rise, increasing by 21.3% to 307,464. This growth is partly attributed to government initiatives like the 'Study Korea 300K' project, aiming to attract 300,000 foreign students by 2027. Vietnamese students now represent the largest group among these university students, surpassing Chinese students for the first time.

Meanwhile, the dropout rate for elementary, middle, and high school students remained at 1.1% last year, the same as the previous year. A total of 53,617 students dropped out, with high school students accounting for the largest proportion. The number of university students delaying graduation also increased significantly, suggesting that many students are postponing their entry into the job market amidst a challenging employment landscape.