On March 3, an elementary school in Pyeongchang district, Gangwon province, held its 2026 academic year opening ceremony, welcoming its sole first-grade student, Kang. In the gymnasium where the ceremony took place, his homeroom teacher and older students applauded, offering flowers and gifts.

Teachers expressed concern. The entire school has only 18 students this year, forcing the school to combine first and third grades into a single class.

Kang in class with his homeroom teacher. Photo: *Yonhap*

Student shortages are a common challenge for most small rural schools in South Korea, as villages increasingly lack children. Most farmers are also elderly, making it an extremely difficult task to find new students, according to Yonhap.

To attract students from cities, rural schools must offer engaging and distinct extracurricular programs. The elementary school in Pyeongchang district provides camping, marine sports, and skiing programs. Thanks to Kang and 6 new students who joined through a transfer program, the school has managed to maintain five classes.

However, schools also face challenges in convincing parents to confidently send their children to study far away. An unnamed school official stated that without the transfer program, this enrollment area might have had no elementary students this year.

Gangwon Provincial Office of Education, South Korea. Photo: *Yonhap*

According to the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education, 20 elementary schools across the province failed to recruit new students this year, and 21 schools held their opening ceremonies with only one student. The number of elementary classes decreased by 121 compared to last year.

Nationwide, over 200 elementary schools reported no new student enrollments, an 81% increase from five years ago. This situation is also beginning to emerge in major cities, with one school in Seoul and two in Gwangju having no new students for the first time.

This trend is projected to worsen as South Korea grapples with a birth rate crisis.

Gangwon province considers increasing the school-age population impractical. It is promoting a plan to organize class sizes "suited to social needs" to enhance educational quality, but ensuring adequate teachers and facilities remains a crucial condition.

However, observers warn that realizing this plan will not be easy, as the declining student population leads to reduced teacher staffing and new recruitment.

Duc Trung (According to Yonhap, Chosun, Korea Times)