Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Only 1 private kindergarten runs special class despite surging need
gettyimagesbank
By Jung Da-hyun
Only one private kindergarten in Korea operates a special class for students with disabilities, despite the growing number of children requiring such support.
According to data released by the Kindergarten Information Service on Sunday, there are 7,449 kindergartens in the country. Of this number, 4,567 are public institutions, only 28 percent of which offer special education classes, with conditions significantly worse in the private sector.
Private institutions account for 38.7 percent of all kindergartens. However, only one — located in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province — offers a special education class.
While the availability of special classes in kindergartens remains limited, the number of children requiring such support has steadily increased each year.
The figure rose from 95,420 in 2020 to 98,154 in 2021, surpassing 100,000 for the first time in 2022 at 103,695. It continued to climb to 109,703 in 2023, 115,610 in 2024 and 120,735 in 2025.
Special education recipients are children identified as needing specialized support due to physical, emotional or developmental disabilities, or difficulties in communication and social interaction.
Policy efforts to expand special classes in private kindergartens have continued, but have yet translate into actual implementation.
In 2022, the Ministry of Education reviewed its five-year plan for special education development that includes measures to expand special classes in private kindergartens, with regional education offices providing operational and staffing support.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also announced a five-year plan for special class expansion in 2024, set to run from 2025 to 2029, pledging support for the establishment of special classes in foundation-run private kindergartens to expand opportunities for children requiring special education.
Despite these measures, many kindergartens remain reluctant to open special classes, citing financial burdens. Private institutions also face challenges in sustaining such classes compared to public kindergartens, due to a lack of consistent support, including ongoing funding for teachers' salaries.
The education ministry explained that private kindergartens face limitations in terms of continuity and stability, adding that special classes are therefore prioritized at public institutions whenever possible.
Meanwhile, an education official noted that while kindergartens are educational institutions, private ones are established by individuals, meaning the founder’s consent is required to open special classes. “Installation is only possible with approval from private institution foundations, and that process remains challenging,” the official added.