The measures form part of the Education Ministry's policy roadmap for the second half of 2026, reported to President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday, as the government seeks to build what it calls a "basic education society" while narrowing regional disparities and investing in future talent.
Beginning next year, children aged three will become eligible for free childcare and preschool education, expanding the current program that covers four- and five-year-olds. The government plans to complete universal free early childhood education for all children aged three to five by 2027.
The ministry aims to raise the share of children using public childcare services to 55 percent by 2030 from 45.8 percent in 2025.
It also plans to improve teacher-to-child ratios beyond infant classes to include two-year-olds by 2028 and expand support for children with disabilities and those from migrant families.
The government will continue its nationwide after-school care initiative for elementary students. A 500,000 won ($360) annual voucher for after-school programs, introduced this year for third graders, will be expanded to fourth graders from next year.
The government aims to ease the concentration of young people in the Seoul metropolitan area by expanding financial support for students studying outside the capital.
A new "regional balance scholarship" will broaden existing aid beyond regional national universities to include high-achieving students attending regional private universities.
Separately, the Education Ministry is considering providing full scholarships to students entering the country's 30 regional national universities as early as next year.
The ministry estimates the additional annual cost at around 200 billion won ($144 million), arguing that the relatively modest budget reflects the fact that many students already receive substantial government scholarships.
The scale and timing of the expanded scholarship program will be finalized later this month as the government completes next year's budget.
To better align universities with local industries, the ministry also plans to introduce a regional enrollment quota system and a fast-track talent program that would allow universities to respond more quickly to corporate demand for skilled workers.
Vocational high schools specializing in professional qualifications will also be introduced, enabling students to earn advanced national technical certifications before graduation.
Korea's education roadmap also placed artificial intelligence at the center of public education.
All 20 science high schools and eight gifted schools will establish advanced AI research programs to identify and nurture talented students at an earlier stage, while giving them access to university researchers and facilities.
Universities will also expand AI education for students outside computer science by broadening pilot programs that currently operate at 20 institutions.
To lower costs, the government plans to support joint AI subscription services across universities, allowing students to use commercial AI tools without additional financial burden.
The ministry also aims to introduce an AI-assisted assessment system by 2029 as schools increasingly adopt essay-based and written evaluations.
At the same time, it plans to strengthen the fairness of school assessments through improved monitoring and a new national certification system for assessment specialists. A dedicated center overseeing school examinations and the national College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is also under consideration.
Beyond domestic reforms, the government plans to broaden the global reach of Korean education.
It aims to expand Korean-language programs overseas to 70 countries by 2030 and increase annual applicants for the Korean-language proficiency test to one million through an AI-based overhaul of the examination system.
The ministry also said it would redirect more education funding across the entire learning cycle—from early childhood to higher and lifelong education—as part of a broader overhaul of local education financing.
The proposal would require provincial education offices to disclose spending performance on key national policy initiatives while reducing earmarked funding for elementary and secondary schools. Education offices could also face financial penalties of up to 10 billion won ($7.2 million) for cash welfare programs deemed inconsistent with national education priorities.
The package reflects the Lee administration's broader effort to treat education as a lifelong public investment—extending state support from preschool through university while using schools to address demographic decline, regional imbalances and the growing demand for AI-skilled workers.
AJP takeaways
- South Korea will extend free preschool education to all three-year-olds from 2027, expanding state-funded early childhood education from the current coverage of four- and five-year-olds.
- The government is considering full scholarships for students at the country's 30 regional national universities from next year to encourage young people to study outside the Seoul metropolitan area.
- The Education Ministry's roadmap aims to expand public investment across the entire education cycle—from preschool through university—as part of President Lee Jae Myung's "basic education society" agenda.
- The plan also includes wider AI education in schools and universities, earlier AI talent development, and greater use of AI in teaching and student assessment.
- The education overhaul is intended to address South Korea's low birth rate, regional population decline, workforce shortages and long-term economic competitiveness.
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