Two out of 3 Korean students studying abroad for elementary school are from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, according to a report released Wednesday by the Ministry of Education.

The ministry report showed that in 2016, 15,000 elementary students dropped out of school among some 2.6 million students nationwide. Of the dropouts, 3,400 cited “unacknowleged overseas studies” as the reason for halting domestic school attendance. 



Going abroad for studies is recorded in the government books as acknowledged overseas studies if the student is moving abroad following his or her parents’ occupational relocation. It is recorded as unacknowledged studies if the students’ moving out of the country is unrelated to their parents’ jobs.

Seoul had the highest number of unacknowledged overseas students, with roughly 1,200. Gyeonggi Province followed behind with 1,050. Altogether, the two areas accounted for 65 percent of all unacknowledged overseas elementary students in 2016.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)