Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis - Foreign Affairs

Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis - Foreign Affairs - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum › Nairaland General › Politics › Foreign Affairs › Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis (26466 Views)

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Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by MONEY247(op): 2:12pm On Jan 04

More than 4,000 schools across South Korea have closed as shrinking student populations force a dramatic contraction of the country’s education system, leaving hundreds of former campuses abandoned.
Fri 1/2/2026, 03:44 pm (PT)

More than 4,000 schools across South Korea have closed as shrinking student populations force a dramatic contraction of the country’s education system, leaving hundreds of former campuses abandoned.
According to data from the Ministry of Education obtained by lawmaker Jin Sun-mee, a total of 4,008 elementary, middle and high schools nationwide have shut down so far due to falling enrollment, Korea Herald reported.

Elementary schools account for the vast majority of closures, at 3,674, followed by 264 middle schools and 70 high schools. Over the past five years alone, 158 schools were closed, and another 107 are expected to shut down within the next five years as student numbers continue to decline, Korea Times reported.

Closures have been most pronounced outside major cities. North Jeolla Province is projected to record the highest number of future shutdowns, with 16 schools, followed by South Jeolla Province with 15, Gyeonggi Province with 12 and South Chungcheong Province with 11. The figures highlight the sharper population drop in rural and nonmetropolitan areas.
South Korea's birth rate is among the lowest in the world. According to Statistics Korea (KOSTAT), the country’s official statistical agency, South Korea's total fertility rate (TFR) for 2024 is 0.748, well below the 2.1 needed for population replacement.

Many former school sites have yet to find a new purpose. Of the 4,008 closed schools, 376 remain unused. Among them, 266 have been left idle for more than a decade, while 82 have sat abandoned for over 30 years.

More schools are expected to shut down due to declining student numbers, Jin said, calling for a long-term plan to repurpose the unused facilities as assets for local communities.

The impact of falling enrollment is also being felt inside active schools. The ministry announced in February that teaching positions for the 2025 academic year would be cut by 2,232 nationwide. Elementary school posts will be reduced by 1,289, while middle school teaching positions will fall by 1,700.

In response, provincial and metropolitan education offices have introduced temporary measures, including reducing class sizes at some schools to about 10 to 15 students and increasing the number of classes to absorb excess capacity.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/education/empty-classrooms-south-korea-shuts-down-over-4-000-schools-amid-birth-rate-crisis-5001196.html

4 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by peleson1: 2:16pm On Jan 04

They should reach out to some developing countries that can send their school age kids to South Korea under some bilateral agreements

117 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Bonab: 2:28pm On Jan 04

It is like the more civilised a society is the more selfish their citizens becomes. Everybody starts pursuing what does not benefit the society, in the name wokeness.

136 Likes 16 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Flangelo12: 2:36pm On Jan 04

Bonab:
It is like the more civilised a society is the more selfish their citizens becomes. Everybody starts pursuing what does not benefit the society, in the name wokeness.

What is woke?

huh

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

97 Likes 1 Share

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by advanceDNA: 3:02pm On Jan 04

Bonab:
It is like the more civilised a society is the more selfish their citizens becomes. Everybody starts pursuing what does not benefit the society, in the name wokeness.

Society/ their government dey ment......

Shebi na Dem and china China dey do population control , mandating their citizens to give birth to only one, later two children...

Ehn naaa......that's the rippling effect over spans of years naa.....its now a culture of the pple to not want children .......

43 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Bahamas95(m): 3:39pm On Jan 04

You can NEVER satisfy humans.

You born like rat dem go complain, you born like elephant dem go still complain.

94 Likes 6 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by duduade(m): 5:51pm On Jan 04

Nigerians will not learn this for a period of time o

But if it's to be giving birth like 🐁 they are good at it especially those ones up the country

20 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Mrluv(m): 7:12pm On Jan 04

how do i get to south korea

15 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by NOETHNICITY(m): 7:13pm On Jan 04

Only 1000 Nigeria men will change this narrative for South Korea. Just 1000!

61 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by dominique(mod): 7:14pm On Jan 04

peleson1:
They should reach out to some developing countries that can send their school age kids to South Korea under some bilateral agreements

Their men seeking for women to come and birth children for them but they don't want women Black or Brown women, mostly Caucasians.

13 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Banhammy717: 7:15pm On Jan 04

It's right time Nigeria adopt this system

8 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by PlayerMeji: 7:15pm On Jan 04

While one is being smart in knowing that the higher the population is, the higher the stress on the economy... Another is thinking of birthing more children so that they can win any election... Even when there are no provisions for the children

32 Likes 1 Share

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by PHIPEX(m): 7:15pm On Jan 04

The effect of extreme civilisation and wokeness.

the first world nations will soon go extinct due to low childbirth rate. That's why they now rely on migrations to keep afloat. Soon Europe will be populated by 50% migrants while their own people journey towards extinction

30 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Greencloud: 7:16pm On Jan 04

The beginning of Extinction

13 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Angelfrost(m): 7:17pm On Jan 04

Solution?!! IMMIGRATION! grin

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Angelfrost(m): 7:18pm On Jan 04

Solution?!! IMMIGRATION! grin

Bring in people from the poorer sections of China and India, if you don't want Negroes.

8 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Kastonkastroll(m): 7:19pm On Jan 04

Shey na person sit down born you, but you on the other hand no wan born all in the name of civilization and wokeness grin

Well those Koreans are too obsessed with plastic surgery

11 Likes 1 Share

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Nobody: 7:21pm On Jan 04

Bahamas95:
You can NEVER satisfy humans.

You born like rat dem go complain, you born like elephant dem go still complain.

Moderation then.
Born like goat

16 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Cocolatti(m): 7:21pm On Jan 04

One of the downside of CAPITALISM.

4 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by DrAda(f): 7:22pm On Jan 04*

Looks like Africans and Indians will populate the earth afterall

However, I predict that with the help of AI, humans will create an artificial uterus that can incubate the number of humans needed.

https://www.journaljammr.com/index.php/JAMMR/article/view/58407

2 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by JuanDeDios: 7:22pm On Jan 04

peleson1:
They should reach out to some developing countries that can send their school age kids to South Korea under some bilateral agreements

Primary school kids? Sure?

1 Like

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Dogalmighty17: 7:22pm On Jan 04

And yet they have very Draconian immigration policies. Majority of developed countries are facing this trend. There is a size and economy grows to that it needs a certain population to maintain. As people age and retire, younger people should replace them. The taxes generated from young workers is used to pay a form of sustenance to retired workers.

Low birth rates and underpopulation, threaten this. Which is why China has placed a tax on condoms and other forms of birth control. Because China is already facing the same issue.

14 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by SmartPolician: 7:23pm On Jan 04*

Considering their GDP per capita, South Korea is a rich country. Families should end the madness of having 0 - 3 kids.

Instead, they should have a new law that compels couples to have a minimum of 5 children. While the parents train the 1 - 2, the government takes care of the rest.

Don't bring in people from other cultures and races to dilute your culture. South Korea deserves to preserve its culture because it is beautiful.

24 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by ADAMUdaCOWBOY: 7:24pm On Jan 04

Many people don't know the story of how feminism is shrinking the populations of South Korea and Japan. Men are refusing to date. 🤣
Feminists succeeded in making it a crime to ask a girl out more than thrice. If she says no thrice, then that's the end! Men are scared of being roped into trouble by women so they keep to themselves and build their career. Women can't play hard to get in peace again.

22 Likes 1 Share

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Mindlog: 7:25pm On Jan 04

They need to be motivated to have children.

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Nteogwuija(m): 7:25pm On Jan 04

advanceDNA:
Society/ their government dey ment......

Shebi na Dem and china China dey do population control , mandating their citizens to give birth to only one, later two children...

Ehn naaa......that's the rippling effect over spans of years naa.....its now a culture of the pple to not want children .......

Population control is not a bad thing. I think they became comfortable and weren't tracking the trend.

1 Like

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by franchasofficia: 7:25pm On Jan 04*

They should emulate America and start a diversity visa lottery program before they go extinct

3 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by Gaabasky: 7:26pm On Jan 04

Hmmm. When we are fighting for baby booming with Almajir country over there is fighting for shrinking of population

1 Like

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by OnyeObowo1: 7:27pm On Jan 04

Bahamas95:
You can NEVER satisfy humans.

You born like rat dem go complain, you born like elephant dem go still complain.

I smell world crisis or war

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by SixSeven: 7:27pm On Jan 04*

Only in Africa and parts of Asia that people still give birth. They have tried to throw in contraception but it doesn't work. Look at what she said, she wants to buy a house, property, things. She doesn't want to be a mother. They have succeeded in giving them 'rights' to say my body, my choice. I didn't come to earth to be a mother. Now they have fertility crisis and the cost of giving birth is not just expensive, the cost of living is so expensive that OF is the best alternative. She didn't mention children or anything like that because of she had any maternal instinct in her, she would know which has more honour and why prostitution is not the best option. What child will be happy to see his mom a pro? This is why you need to monitor women. I used to think it was absurd, but the older I get, I understand why there was always a reign on women, or else, they will destroy society completely. They give birth to the world, that's why men had to put some reign in our society was working.

Women are joining the work force to be like men and that is more effective than contraception. Deceive her with the career, tell her she can store her eggs, tell her there is IVF, waste her best years of fertility and when there is a crisis, sell medical solutions to them. Tell her her place is not in the kitchen, it's not at home, it's to be a strong independent woman. As if their mothers in the past were not independent 🤡 Who told you the office career is what makes you independent? Go and read your history. E get why na Nigerian women protest past when the British were here. Was it the same people you followed to earn your rights that your grandfathers had already respected them for before they came to brainwash you with patriarchy and crying that you don't have freedom? Is it the Saudi that just let their women drive a few years ago you are copying because of religion or it's the America that did not allow people like your mothers vote until 1965 while you had rights to vote at independence? Look at our women today, they want Kim Kardashian body and have found another method to abuse God's natural order, surrogacy. They are renting stomachs to use and abuse because they've been brainwashed on what their bodies should do.

Once you are able to convince women that they don't need to carry a baby, the deal is done. Now they want us to be using science to have babies, sleeping with dolls and selling us all kind of solutions when God gave us free.
Don't take everything from the West, you're just a commodity to them.

SixSeven:
The beautiful ones are not yet born but can we see that African method is still the best? Where your family is preparing you for marriage and you grow into it. But this ITK people came and said she must finish school, get work and career, forgetting that after that, she will still do something in society. They even used to protect our women from useless boys and men who only want to totori her hotspot.

We filled her mind with books, but left her roots behind.
We gave her education of the world, yet neglected the lessons of her home.
We opened her eyes to knowledge, but left her heart untethered to culture.
We built her intellect, but abandoned her heritage.

Women remain the most important specie for a good society.

They have corrupted our mothers today so society can be xxxxx tomorrow, making OF and hookup look better than legitimate work. Of course, when it pays well, it is difficult to convince the brain to work and the devil will continue to make sure our society is confused since sex is cheap and..... The internet is now raising girls and boys, leaving them confused, thinking alt universe is reality. I thought many girls would have learned from Linda Ikeji or dem Toke set but the streets cannot raise a child, the family is the first foundation. Protect the families. Internet is not yours.

12 Likes

Re: Empty Classrooms: S/Korea Shuts Down Over 4,000 Schools Amid Birth Rate Crisis by jmoore(m): 7:28pm On Jan 04

peleson1:
They should reach out to some developing countries that can send their school age kids to South Korea under some bilateral agreements

They need South Korean genes.

Make una leaders develop Africa.

4 Likes 1 Share

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