CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO < invest Korea

■ Investment Advantages

ㅇNortheast Asian education hub
- Creating a global education hub by providing world-class educational services to absorb the demand for studying abroad
- Building Northeast Asia’s finest education infrastructure befitting an international free city

■ Project Overview

ㅇLocation: Gueok-ri, Boseong-ri and Sinpyeong-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
ㅇArea: 3,792,598 m² (approx. 1.15 million pyeong)
ㅇInvestment: 2008-2021
ㅇProject: International schools (9,000 students, 7 schools), English education center, foreign educational institutes, residential and commercial facilities, etc.
ㅇAdmissions Office
- NLCS Jeju : 064-793-8004
- BHA : 064-902-5000
- KIS : 064-741-0509

■ Project Introduction

Key to solving the surge in overseas studies
Since the turn of the century, the rapid rise in number of elementary, middle and high school students leaving to study abroad has caused numerous problems, including the inability of students to fit into society after they return, the problem of so-called ‘geese fathers’ who remain in Korea alone to support their wives and children overseas, and the worsening trade deficit. In order to improve such socioeconomic problems, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance announce in December 2016 its plan to create an exclusive English town in Jeju as a national endeavor to form a trial English education project.

*No. of students studying abroad: 270 million in 2001à450 million in 2006
*Resulting trade deficit: USD1.06 billion in 2001àUSD 4.446 billion in 2006

Signaling the beginning of the project
Initially, the plan was to offer short-term programs for intensive English training purposes, but in the final stages of drawing up the plan it was decided that regular international elementary, middle and high schools would be established, where the goal would be to reduce the demand for studying abroad.

Recent Achievements
The English Education City in Jeju, focused on the international schools, is a long-term education complex complete with commercial, residential and public facilities. Active efforts were made to attract three prestigious private schools from English-speaking countries. Investment promotion materials were sent to a total of 173 schools overseas across 4 stages, and MoUs were signed. As a result, North London Collegiate School and Canada’s Branksome Hall signed in 2010, and later St. Johnsbury Academy of the United States signed in 2012, all three of which have since opened, and are now currently in operation in Jeju.

Great challenges, great achievements
The English Education City has attracted prestigious private schools from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, and has grown into a truly global education hub for Northeast Asia. In 2013, 92.9 percent of the first graduating class of the high school received early admission notices from prestigious universities such as the University of Cambridge in England, becoming the no. 1 high school in the country with the highest rate of students to move on to foreign universities. As of 2016, some 2,860 students are studying at the English Education City, and the accumulated amount of expenses prevented from being spent overseas has reached KRW 345 billion.

The future of English education
The English Education City plans to attract three more international schools by 2021. In order to differentiate the new additions from the existing schools, and strengthen the city’s competitiveness, it is reviewing bilingual international schools based on English and Chinese, as well as international schools specializing in the arts and sports that could offer programs in connection with the natural environment of the island. Jeju English Education City will continue to grow into one of the finest education cities in the world with an attractive residential environment and world-class advanced education system.

■ Project History

ㅇPlan to create English-only town in Jeju announced by the Ministry of Finance and Economy (December 2006)
ㅇConfirmation of zone designation and development plan announced (October 2008)
ㅇGroundwork begins (June 2009)
ㅇOpening of NLCS Jeju / KIS Jeju (September 2011)
ㅇOpening of BHA (October 2012)

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