SEOUL — South Korea’s higher education landscape is facing a profound paradox. While the nation accelerates its push to dominate strategic sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, its graduate schools are quietly emptying out.

Recent data submitted by lawmakers paints a stark picture of declining enrollment. At Pusan National University, a key institution designated under regional development initiatives, roughly 41.5% of graduate recruitment units reported zero new student enrollments. Seoul National University, the country’s top-tier institution, has similarly struggled, with an average of 14.5% to 15.1% of its graduate programs failing to attract a single student over recent years.

Across the country, the crisis extends far beyond a few select universities. Reports indicate that 86% of general graduate schools nationwide failed to fill their quotas, affecting both humanities and science departments alike.

A Brain Drain and Institutional Neglect

Education experts point to a multi-faceted crisis. On one hand, undergraduate students increasingly bypass graduate school to enter the job market immediately. On the other hand, faculty departures are compounding the problem; data shows that nine major regional national universities lost 323 professors between 2021 and mid-2025.

Compounding these institutional challenges is a chronic underfunding of higher education. According to recent OECD indicators, South Korea’s public expenditure per tertiary student stands at $16,479—merely 72% of the OECD average. In contrast, spending on secondary education students sits well above the OECD average at 145%. Critics argue that reforming local education finance grants to bolster higher education investment is long overdue. Furthermore, a recent survey by the Korean Council for University Education revealed that not a single responding university could independently finance the AI-driven transformation (AX) investments required for the future.

The Race for Semiconductor and AI Specialists

With massive industrial projects on the horizon—including planned semiconductor clusters in Yongin and the Honam region—experts estimate that over 85,000 advanced professionals will be needed. Building cutting-edge fabrication plants is only half the battle; cultivating top-tier talent is a pressing race against time.

To bridge this gap, regional universities and local governments are stepping up. Chonnam National University, for instance, plans to launch an advanced semiconductor engineering department by March 2028, aiming to enroll 200 students, including 50 in corporate-sponsored contract tracks.

Expanding Military Service Exemptions for Researchers

Policy experts and lawmakers are also calling for bold systemic reforms to keep brilliant minds in the research ecosystem. During recent parliamentary audits, discussions intensified around expanding the professional research personnel system—an alternative military service scheme that allows science and engineering graduate degree holders to work in corporate research labs rather than serving active military duty.

Lawmakers have advocated for making the upcoming specialized researcher program for large AI firms a permanent policy rather than a temporary three-year pilot, while extending it to cover 12 national strategic technologies, including semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries, and advanced mobility.

As South Korea strives to secure its position as a global high-tech powerhouse, bridging the gap between industrial demand and academic vitality will require unprecedented cooperation among the government, local authorities, and private enterprises.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]