South Korea is confronting a growing crisis caused by its declining birth rate, which is beginning to affect the education system across the country. In Gangwon Province, 20 elementary schools had no first-grade students this year, while 21 others admitted only a single child. What was once mainly a rural issue is now reaching major urban centers. For example, a functioning elementary school in Seoul’s Gangseo District recorded zero first graders for the first time.
Nationwide data show that 210 elementary schools enrolled no new students in 2026—an 81 percent increase compared with five years earlier. Despite a slight rise in the fertility rate from 0.72 in 2023 to 0.8 in 2025, the long-term demographic decline continues to threaten the sustainability of many schools.
Audio Session
Low Birth Rate Leads to Empty Classrooms in South Korea
Class C
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Difficult Words
- confront – to face a difficult problem or situation directly
- crisis – a serious situation that requires urgent attention or action
- demographic decline – a reduction in the size of a population, especially certain age groups
- urban centers – large cities where many people live and work
- sustainability – the ability of something to continue or exist for a long period of time
- threaten – to create a possibility of harm or serious problems in the future
Additional Info
- What demographic trend is affecting South Korea’s education system?
- Why is the situation no longer considered only a rural problem?
- What evidence shows the scale of the issue nationwide?
- Why might the slight rise in fertility rate not solve the problem?
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