Songdo International School Struggles to Recruit Students
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Few foreign students are expected to enroll at Songdo International School, the first educational institute in a Free Economy Zone (FEZ) for the school year starting in September.
The school has been set up by a non-Korean group and accredited by the Korean government.
In order to draw foreign investment in Incheon Free Economy zone, about 150 billion won ($117 million) has been invested into the construction of the school, which includes a sports complex and other facilities. The school can accommodate up to 2,100 students from kindergarten through high school.
According to the school's founder, New Songdo International City Development, only 20 foreign students have enrolled, allowing it to accept just six Korean students. Under current regulations, a foreign educational institute is limited to having the number of Korean students equal to 30 percent of the total number of foreign students.
As such, NSIC is considering registering as a foreign school as opposed to a foreign education institute. Current regulation stipulates that a foreign school can recruit Korean students who have lived overseas for more than three years and they may account for up to 30 percent of the admission quota, regardless of the number of foreign students.
NSIC has already informed the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ) that it will transform the school status from a foreign academic institute into a foreign school.
There are a total of six FEZs in the country ― Incheon-Songdo, Gwangyang, Busan-Jinhae, Asan-Pyeongtaek, Saemangeum-Gunsan and Daegu-North Gyeongsang.