New evaluation categories expected to push universities beyond int'l student recruitment
As Korea has emerged as an increasingly popular study destination for international students, concerns have grown that support systems on the ground have not kept pace. In response, the Ministry of Education is shifting its focus beyond recruitment, introducing new evaluation criteria and statistical measures designed to strengthen post-arrival support and create clearer pathways for long-term settlement. “It has been nearly two decades since the government began policies for international students around 2004, but until recently, we had not placed enough emphasis on supporting their transition into the workforce,” Shin Mee-kyung, director of the Educational Globalization Division at the Ministry of Education, said during an interview with The Korea Times. She added that momentum began to build as the government launched its Study Korea 300K initiative two years ago, amid concerns over regional population declines and mounting labor shortages outside major cities. “That shift made it clear that supporting international students’ employment and settlement had to become a priority,
