On a recent Friday morning, a small number of mostly teenaged students trained their eyes on their American teacher, repeating short English sentences after her and raising their hands from time to time to ask questions.At a glance, they look no different from ordinary students in South Korea, where parents are known for their zeal and investment in English education, with the hope that proficiency in the language will help children gain admission to better schools and land better jobs after gra

The first International Tchaikovsky Online Piano Competition for Young Musicians ended last week with an award ceremony at Seoul Cyber University in Seoul, where a South Korean student claimed the second prize. (Clockwise from second row) Judges Yasuo Watanabe of Japan, Pascal Nemirovski of France, Lee Kyungsook of Korea, Vladimir Ovchinnikov of Russia and Alexander S. Sokolov of Russia. Lee Sang-kyun, board chair of the Shinil Educational Foundation and Seoul Cyber University, and Andrey M. Sch

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and United Arab Emirates’ Khalifa University of Science and Technology opened the KAIST-KU Joint Research Center in Abu Dhabi, as part of their efforts to enhance cooperation in the wake of “Industry 4.0,” KAIST said Tuesday. 　KAIST President Shin Sung-chul (left) and Arif Al Hammadi, executive vice president of the Khalifa University of Science Technology, shake hands during the KAIST-KU Joint Research Center opening ceremony held in Abu Dhabi,

South Korea's presidential office, the government and the ruling Democratic Party agreed Tuesday that the country will provide free education to all high school students starting in 2021.To this end, authorities will begin free education for high school seniors in the fall semester and expand it to students in their second and third years of high school next year.Currently, South Korea provides free education for elementary and middle school students. (Yonhap)The detailed plan was revealed at a

Korea International School said Monday that it has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for its effective implementation of technology to help redefine learning.According to KIS, Apple Distinguished Schools are defined as “centers of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence that use technology to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.” Students of the Korea International School engage in class. (Korea International School)Institutions recognized as such s

Dulwich College Seoul students pose for a photo at the Dulwich College campus in London on March 24.Some 60 students and teachers from Seoul participated in the Dulwich Olympiad London 2019.(Dulwich College Seoul)The Olympiad, which took place March 24-29, included sports, music and drama events marking the 400th anniversary of the college’s founding.More than 900 students from 11 Dulwich schools around the world took part in the celebrations.

Kim Soung-soo (fourth from left, second row), chairman of Youth For Understanding Korea, a nonprofit student exchange organization, poses with Korean and Japanese participants in the 2018-2019 exchange program sponsored by Toyota Korea. Also present in the ceremony held in Seoul last week were In Sung-yeon (second from left, second row), YFU Korea assistant national director; Nobuyuki Takemura (third from left), head of Toyota Korea; and Keiko Enatsu (fifth from left), national director of YFU J

The education authorities of Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon warned Sunday that local private schools will face harsh administrative punishments if they press ahead with a collective action to protest the government's reform drive.In a joint statement, the liberal-minded superintendents of the three regions' education offices declared there will be no negotiation with the Korea Kindergarten Association (KKA), which is pushing to postpone the opening of the spring semester, slated for Monday

UST President Moon mentions Seoul climate change on fine-dust woes

The average price of foodstuff in South Korea increased sharply in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared with other major advanced countries, data showed Saturday, apparently due to the scorching summer heat last year.(Yonhap)According to the data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and Statistics Korea, the average price of foodstuff in South Korea went up 5.1 percent on-year in the October-December period of 2018.It marked the second highest rise compared with o

Korea International School announced that it invited students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology to hold an MIT Science & Technology Seminar for one week, from Jan. 7 to 11, at its Pangyo campus in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.  (Korea International School holds a seminar with MIT students. KIS)At the seminar, KIS students took the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technology. Following the seminar, MIT students attended various classes at KIS for a month and held collaboration clas

The government will pay 860 billion won ($766 million) in subsidies to all universities and colleges nationwide this year to help upgrade their academic competitiveness, the Ministry of Education said Tuesday.Universities and four-year colleges will receive 568.8 billion won of the amount, up about 28 percent from last year, while vocational colleges will be paid 290.8 billion won, up 16 percent on-year, the ministry said. (Yonhap)Unlike in previous years, this year's subsidies will be distribut

Lee Jae-jeong, the superintendent of Gyeonggi Province Office of Education, will propose a plan for South Korean students to visit the North at Wednesday’s railroad groundbreaking ceremony, the education office said Tuesday.According to the office, Lee will participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for a joint project to reconnect roads and railways across the border to be held at the Panmun Station in the North’s border town of Kaesong.  A unification flag (Yonhap)There, Lee will propose the p

Part-time lecturers in Busan went on strike Tuesday, protesting their dismissals less than a month after a revision bill aimed at improving their treatment passed the National Assembly.In a press conference held in front of the university building, members of the Pusan National University branch of the Korean Irregular Professors’ Union denounced the university’s decision to dismiss part-time lecturers and announced a walkout.  (Yonhap)“The law amendment made (last month) to improve the poor tre

A new guideline for delaying elementary and middle school admission for reasons such as studying abroad will come into force in Seoul starting next year.The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced Sunday that it has prepared a revised guideline on encouraging school attendance for children who are subjected to mandatory education, which will be implemented from January 2019. (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education website)The revised guideline requires parents or guardians to visit scho