Korea's study abroad initiative sees growth as international students increase by 25%

The Ministry of Education held a ministerial meeting on Wednesday to review the progress of the Study Korea 300K plan, attributing the increasing international student population to local government efforts and rising interest in Korean culture.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, left, talks during a ministerial meeting discussing the progress of the Study Korea 300K plan on Wednesday. [MINISTRY OF EDUCATION]

The Ministry of Education held a ministerial meeting on Wednesday to review the progress of the Study Korea 300K plan, attributing the increasing international student population to local government efforts and rising interest in Korean culture.

According to the Education Ministry, there are 208,962 foreigners in Korea with student visas this year, up 15 percent on year and 25 percent since 2022.

Among these students, 69.8 percent are enrolled in degree programs, while 30.2 percent are enrolled in nondegree programs such as language learning courses.

"There are around 210,000 international students in Korea, which is a 25 percent increase compared to 2022, before we implemented the Study Korea 300K plan," said Lee Ju-ho, minister of education. "As local governments actively sought to attract international talent, we also observed an increase in international students outside of the greater Seoul area."

The Study Korea 300K plan was first announced in August last year, aiming to have 300,000 international students by 2027.

Hanyang University had the highest number of international students this year, with 8,264 students. Kyung Hee University followed with 6,929, Yonsei University with 6,621, Korea University with 5,520 and Chung-Ang University with 5,355.

Gachon University came sixth with 5,149, followed by Sungkyunkwan University with 4,831, Seojeong University with 4,606, Sejong University with 3,703 and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with 3,586.

Despite the top 10 universities with the most international students being based in the greater Seoul area, the number of international students studying outside this region has been gradually increasing.

This year, 44 percent of the total international students were enrolled in educational institutions outside greater Seoul, a figure up 2.3 percentage points from 2022.

North Gyeongsang saw the highest increase in its international student population over the past three years, with 11,369 international students studying in the province this year, marking a 74.1 percent increase compared to 2022.

South Jeolla followed with a 73.6 percent increase, Gangwon with 67.1 percent, North Chungcheong with 66.7 percent and Incheon with 60.9 percent.

Seoul's international student population rose 3.5 percent to 74,488 during the same period, while Gyeonggi's increased 69.6 percent to 37,683.

"Since the implementation of the Study Korea 300K plan, local governments have been developing international student policies tailored to their region and local employment needs," said a spokesperson for the Education Ministry.

Provinces such as North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang hosted job fairs for international students interested in working in their regions. South Gyeongsang has been collaborating with universities in the province to offer academic and career counseling to international students, linking them with local companies after graduation.

The Education Ministry added that there has been an overall increase in interest in studying in Korea due to the rising popularity of Korean culture, and it has been making it easier for prospective students to access relevant information.

Seven new international student support centers have been established at Korean Education Centers in cities such as Los Angeles, Ho Chi Minh City and Osaka. These centers provide information about studying in Korea, and the ministry plans to open four more in Seattle, India, Indonesia and Mexico.

"Based on discussions with the Ministry of Justice to renew the International Education Quality Assurance System metrics, we also plan to enhance the quality of the international students we invite," said a spokesperson for the Education Ministry. "We will also work on renewing the Study in Korea website, which will help international students access relevant information from the preparation stage to their job search journey in Korea."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]