New elementary school enrollment to drop below 300,000 for 1st time amid low birth rate

South Korea's declining birth rate is expected to bring the number of children entering elementary schools below 300,000 for the first time next year, according to data released by the Korean Statistical Information Service and the Korean Educational Development Institute. In the 2027 academic year, when children born in 2020 begin elementary school, the number of first graders is projected to fall short of the 300,000 mark, a significant drop from the 301,442 students who enrolled this year, just three years after the figure dipped below 400,000.

The low birth rate, with only 272,337 babies born in 2020, down 10 percent from 2020, is raising concerns over school closures, particularly in rural areas, and an increasing education gap between regions. This trend is anticipated to continue until 2030, although it is expected to remain above 200,000 as childbirths recovered in 2024 and 2025, reaching 254,341 births in the latter year.