Gyeonggi-do Gimpo Ranks 1st Nationwide for Overcrowded Classes at 48.1%... Seoul Gangnam-gu at 43.9%

Gyeonggi-do Exceeds 45% in Gimpo, Hanam, Yongin, Hwaseong
Seoul Highest in Gangnam, Seocho, Yangcheon, Gwangjin Districts
National Elementary and Secondary Schools Overcrowded Class Rate at 18.9%

On the 13th, two days before Teachers' Day, which is the first since the full-scale resumption of face-to-face classes in schools, students are arriving at a high school in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The region with the highest number of overcrowded classes in elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide is Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, where 48.1% of all classes are overcrowded. In Seoul, Gangnam-gu has the highest overcrowded class rate at 43.9%.

On the 8th, Lee Eun-ju, a member of the Justice Party, received an analysis from the Ministry of Education on the number of students per class by administrative district in 2022. Regions where the proportion of overcrowded classes with 28 or more students per class exceeds 40% include Gangnam-gu in Seoul; Gimpo, Hanam, Yongin, and Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province; Yeonsu-gu in Incheon; and Cheonan in Chungnam.

In Gangnam-gu, 1,001 out of 2,280 classes (43.9%) in elementary, middle, and high schools are overcrowded. This is followed by Seocho-gu (39.7%), Yangcheon-gu (27.6%), and Gwangjin-gu (19.0%).

In Gyeonggi Province, the overcrowded class rate is high, especially around the second phase new towns. In particular, Gimpo has 1,140 overcrowded classes out of 2,371 classes (48.1%), meaning one out of every two classrooms is overcrowded. This is followed by Hanam (45.6%), Yongin (45.5%), and Hwaseong (45.4%).

In Chungnam, Cheonan leads with 40.5%, followed by Asan (32.5%), Gyeryong (30.3%), and Dangjin (25.7%). In Gyeongnam, Geoje (37.7%), Yangsan (36.6%), and Gimhae (26.0%) follow in order.

The total number of overcrowded classes with 28 or more students per class is 44,764, accounting for 18.9% of all classes. By school level, elementary schools have 9.9%, middle schools 40.9%, and high schools 18.1%. Starting in 2023, as students born in the Year of the Golden Pig enter high school, the pattern of overcrowded classes is expected to change.

The proportion of overcrowded middle school classes by administrative district reached 72.6% in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Seocho-gu (51.2%) and Yangcheon-gu (43.7%) followed.

In Gyeonggi Province, most middle school classrooms are overcrowded, with Osan at 92.6%, Yongin at 86.0%, and Hwaseong at 85.9%. In Gangwon Province, Chuncheon (66.8%), Sokcho (63.3%), and Gangneung (53.0%) also have more than half of middle school classes overcrowded.

In Chungnam, Gyeryong has the highest rate at 80.6%, followed by Cheonan (78.5%) and Asan (72.9%). In Jeonbuk, Gunsan (62.5%) and Jeonju (57.6%) follow. In Jeonnam, Mokpo (66.3%) and Yeosu (63.7%) have high rates. In Gyeongnam, Geoje (77.1%), Gimhae (65.3%), and Yangsan (48.7%) follow, while Jeju City in Jeju Province has an overcrowded class rate of 61.6%. Sejong City has no overcrowded classes.

Although the school-age population is decreasing nationwide, urban old downtown areas are seeing schools disappear one by one due to consolidation, and rural and fishing villages are at risk of losing even branch schools. However, new towns and other land development districts are facing severe overcrowding.

A Justice Party Policy Committee official said, "Resolving overcrowded classes is essential for customized and future education," adding, "A mid- to long-term plan and steady financial investment are needed with a goal of 20 students per class. In this regard, the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's splitting of local education finance grants is a negative factor."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.