Korea hits major milestone in quest to become global education hub

Korea’s international student population reached a record 300,000 this summer as universities looked overseas to offset domestic shortages. Long dominated by students from China, foreign enrollment is now diversifying, according to recent data presented during the Korean Association of Foreign Student Administrators (KAFSA) winter conference, where officials from nearly 200 universities gathered to discuss shifting trends. In its place, a growing influx from Southeast Asia is reshaping the landscape, reflecting broader changes in regional economic ties and the expanding reach of Korean soft power. The most striking increase has come from Vietnam. Since 2017, enrollment from the country has surged, overtaking China this year as the largest source of international students. According to data from the Ministry of Justice, the number of international students staying in Korea reached a record high of 305,329 as of August. Although enrollment figures from the Ministry of Education showed 253,000 international students as of April, residency and visa data suggest the government has effective