Ministry of Education Announces Plan to Expand Support and Attract 300,000 International Students by 2027

Expansion of Education Internationalization Special Zones to Metropolitan Units
Support from Korean Language Education to Employment Connection

The Ministry of Education will expand activities to discover and attract study abroad demand in order to secure talented international students. The goal is to increase the number of international students from the current approximately 160,000 to 300,000 by 2027.

On the afternoon of the 16th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho held a briefing at the Government Seoul Office and announced these plans.

The Ministry of Education assessed that although the number of international students is on the rise, the proportion of international students is relatively low (2%) compared to advanced countries. Moreover, the countries of origin of international students are concentrated in Asian countries. Accordingly, the goal is to attract about 300,000 international students (220,000 degree students and 80,000 non-degree students) by 2027.

To this end, the existing 'Education Internationalization Special Zone' will be expanded to the level of metropolitan local governments and designated as 'Overseas Talent Specialized Zones.' Metropolitan governors, superintendents of education, and universities will be able to apply jointly, and a customized regulatory exemption system will be introduced to ease university-related regulations. Within the special zones, the connection between local corporate demand and the stages of attracting international students and their academic processes will be strengthened, and opportunities for internships and field training will be provided.

A 'Center for International Student Recruitment' will also be established within the Korean Education Center to discover study abroad demand. The center will provide study abroad counseling, matching between domestic and local universities, and support for study abroad fairs.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In addition, the Ministry is reviewing a reform of the Education Internationalization Competency Certification System. The plan is to lower admission barriers and strengthen consulting at the stage of attracting international students.

At the local government level, a system for attracting international students will be established, and step-by-step support strategies from recruitment to academic progress and career planning will be developed. Korean language education and career exploration opportunities will be provided, and customized employment linkage will be strengthened.

The Ministry of Education and related ministries plan to hold meetings with foreign international students starting early next month, as well as policy briefings for universities, local companies, and local governments by region. Related laws and regulations will also be revised starting in the second half of this year.

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