More colleges are closing down

On September 8, Gangwon Tourism University in Taebaek, Gangwon Province announced that it would not admit new students in 2024. This move came after the university shuttered several departments due to a persistent decline in new student enrollment and ongoing financial deficits. The local community interpreted this decision as a precursor to the eventual closure of the entire institution.

Colleges, grappling with a crisis stemming from a diminishing school-age population, find themselves on precarious ground, especially those situated in non-metropolitan areas. The dwindling number of students has resulted in a significant shortfall in new entrants, falling below the admission quotas. Some regional national universities have even resorted to admitting students without requiring the customary college admission test results. An insider familiar with the matter remarked, “Even high school students in the relevant region no longer perceive the necessity of attending colleges in their hometowns, as they can easily access institutions in metropolitan areas. Preferential admission policies for local students and scholarships seem to be ineffectual.” Even in cases where new students do enroll, a considerable number opt to retake the college admission test to attend institutions in metropolitan areas, exacerbating the precarious situation faced by various departments.

The crisis of college closures is inseparable from the crisis affecting regional communities. The closure of colleges in such areas has a cascading impact, causing a slowdown in regional businesses, hastening population decline, and posing challenges for local businesses in finding a workforce. Following the closure of Hanryo College in South Jeolla Province, the local landscape witnessed an increase in vacant offices and residences, with a real estate agent noting the struggles faced by studio apartments, cafes, and restaurants that formerly catered to students as their primary customer base.

Speculation is that more than half of colleges in Korea will vanish by 2046. A report published in 2021 by Seoul National University’s Society Development Research Institute and the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs predicts a reduction in the number of colleges in Korea from 385 in 2021 to 190 in the period from 2042 to 2046, representing a decline of 49.4 percent. The closures are anticipated to be most pronounced in the South Jeolla (19.0%), Ulsan (20.0%), and South Gyeongsang region (21.7%).


Ye-Na Choi yena@donga.com