- Gyeongbuk Office of Education unveils 2026 support plan for students with North Korean backgrounds
- Initiative focuses on customized academic mentoring, emotional care, and social integration
- Program includes career camps, teacher training, and credential recognition to aid long-term settlement
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education has announced a comprehensive education support initiative aimed at helping students with North Korean backgrounds adapt smoothly to school life and achieve balanced academic and personal growth. The '2026 Educational Support Plan for Students with North Korean Backgrounds', unveiled on January 12, is designed to address not only learning gaps but also the emotional and cultural challenges these students often face as they adjust to South Korean society.
The plan reflects a growing recognition that students from North Korean backgrounds arrive with diverse academic levels, emotional experiences, and cultural contexts. To respond effectively, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education will roll out demand-based, customized support systems that focus on strengthening foundational academic skills while fostering emotional stability and social integration. A key pillar of the initiative is a tailored mentoring program that responds to each student’s individual circumstances, ensuring that support is personal rather than uniform.
Through this mentoring framework, students will receive supplementary instruction in subjects where they may be struggling, alongside structured career and vocational guidance delivered with the support of external experts. Professional counseling services will also be offered in collaboration with relevant organizations to help students process emotional difficulties and build resilience. In addition, cultural experience activities will be organized to encourage broader social interaction and help students feel more connected to their peers and surroundings.
One of the highlights of the program is a 'Career and Academic Mentoring Camp' scheduled during the summer vacation. Designed as a one-night, two-day residential experience, the camp will focus on elementary and middle school students with North Korean backgrounds. It will emphasize experiential learning, communication, and empathy-building activities with peers, offering opportunities for career exploration and emotional exchange that are often difficult to achieve within the structure of regular school life. Education officials expect the camp to strengthen students’ social skills, self-confidence, and ability to envision future career paths.
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To ensure that schools are equipped to provide effective on-ground support, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education will also conduct training sessions in April for homeroom teachers and staff responsible for student guidance. These sessions are intended to deepen educators’ understanding of the unique backgrounds and needs of North Korean students and enhance their practical guidance skills within the school environment.
In parallel, the Gyeongbuk Academic Review Committee will continue to meet monthly to assess the academic credentials of North Korean defectors and related students. The committee will issue academic recognition certificates that can be used for school admissions and employment, supporting their long-term settlement and social integration.
Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, said education for students with North Korean backgrounds must go beyond academic instruction. “It requires an integrated approach that includes emotional stability and career planning”, he said, adding that the office will continue to strengthen customized mentoring, career and academic guidance, and teacher capacity building so these students can grow into confident and capable members of society.
