Adapting and Advancing: Expert Insights on the International Student Policies in South Korea

• In Event: Exploring international student policies in China, Japan, and South Korea before and after 2020

Proposal

South Korea faces considerable challenges due to its rapidly declining school-age population, particularly high school students (16–18 years). This demographic shift has forced universities to adopt competitive recruitment strategies. In response, the South Korean government has implemented targeted policies to not only address regional depopulation but also enhance the global competitiveness of its higher education system. These initiatives aim to attract international students who are likely to stay long term, thereby contributing to the academic and economic vitality of universities in South Korea. Grounded in the conceptual model of international student policy, South Korea’s government-driven internationalization strategies have evolved from a “customer and strategic study abroad nation-building model” to a “highly skilled talent acquisition model” (Ashizawa, 2013).

This study explored how these strategies can be tailored to effectively attract international students, focusing on key developments before and after the pivotal year of 2020, marked by global education shifts due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. By comparing South Korea’s approaches with those of Japan and China, this study highlights the common challenges and innovative adjustments across East Asia.

The methodology consisted of two phases. The first phase examined the effectiveness of these policies through the lens of the “Study Korea 300 K Project,” which focuses on attracting highly skilled international students in STEM fields to regional universities and promoting the equitable distribution of educational opportunities across the country. The second phase employed a phenomenological approach, gathering insights on post-COVID-19 international student policy development through semi-structured interviews with 11 international experts in South Korea, including policymakers and practitioners involved in the evolution of the Study Korea 300 K Project. These interviews, conducted between July 2023 and March 2024, provided a comprehensive view of the policy landscape.

Preliminary findings indicated that while South Korea’s policies have succeeded in increasing the number of international students and advancing higher education internationalization, significant challenges persist. The experts raised concerns about the quality of education; adequacy of support services for international students, particularly those lacking Korean language proficiency; and the misalignment between policy objectives and the practical implementation of developing highly skilled talent that benefits local communities. In response to these challenges, South Korea is shifting its focus toward diversifying its international student population by expanding scholarships, enhancing educational quality in specialized fields, and broadening the range of educational programs, including short-term international initiatives. Experts advocate a shift from purely quantitative targets to policies that prioritize educational quality and sustainable recruitment models. By 2020, South Korea aims to attract 200,000 international students, initially focusing on growth in numbers. However, the current post-pandemic strategies emphasize quality, as exemplified by the implementation of the Education Internationalization Competency Certification System.

These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on balancing quantity and quality in international educational policies, offering valuable insights for South Korea and other nations facing demographic challenges and seeking to enhance their global educational competitiveness.

Author

• Yon-Soo Tak, Osaka Univeristy