South Korea is set to close nearly 50 schools in 2025 as the country’s birth rate crisis worsens, leaving many classrooms without enough students. According to the education ministry, 49 elementary, middle, and high schools across 17 cities and provinces will shut their doors, with rural areas being the most affected.
The number of school closures has been rising in recent years, from 22 in 2023 to 33 in 2024. This year, 88% of the schools shutting down are in rural areas, deepening concerns about the widening education gap between the capital, Seoul, and other regions.
South Korea has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, with a fertility rate of just 0.72 children per woman in 2023. The aging population now makes up about 20% of the total 51.22 million citizens, and experts warn that without intervention, the population could shrink by half by 2100.
Despite government efforts—including financial incentives, childcare support, and work-life balance policies—birth rates have continued to fall. The impact is being felt in schools, where some institutions are merging majors or creating new departments to attract students.
Rural provinces are seeing the worst effects. In North Gyeongsang Province, 42 schools will have no first-grade students enrolling in March. Similarly, South Jeolla, North Jeolla, and Gangwon provinces will each have dozens of schools without new students. Even in Seoul, where no schools are closing yet, the number of first-grade students is down 9.3% from last year.
Some school buildings are being repurposed into office spaces, community centers, or senior housing. Experts warn that the crisis extends beyond education, as fewer students today will mean severe workforce shortages and economic challenges in the future.
“This isn’t just a birth rate issue,” said Professor Cho Young-tae from Seoul National University. “At this pace, the entire education system will collapse, and the effects will ripple through all parts of society.”