Hwaseong City Promotes Establishment of 'Science High School' to Foster Talent in Semiconductors, Future Cars, and Bio Industries

Signing of Business Agreement with Education Support Office and Hwaseong City Research Institute

Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi Province is promoting the establishment of a 'Science High School' to nurture talent in advanced industries such as semiconductors, future cars, and bio.

On the 3rd, Hwaseong City signed a 'Business Agreement for the Promotion of Science High School Establishment' with Hwaseong Osan Office of Education and Hwaseong Research Institute at the central conference room of the city hall.

At the business agreement ceremony to promote the establishment of Hwaseong Science High School, Jeong Gwang-yoon (from the left), Superintendent of Hwaseong Osan Office of Education, Jeong Myeong-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong, and Park Cheol-su, Director of Hwaseong City Research Institute, are holding up the agreement document.
[Photo by Hwaseong City]

This agreement was promoted to cultivate future scientific talent and develop education in Hwaseong City. Each institution agreed to share necessary information for the future establishment of the science high school and to build a close cooperation system.

Jung Myung-geun, mayor of Hwaseong City, stated, "Hwaseong City is currently a city based on strategic industries related to semiconductors, future cars, and bio, and is on the verge of becoming a special city with a population of one million." He added, "It has the optimal location for a science high school in the southern Gyeonggi region." Mayor Jung also said, "If we attract a science high school, it will be a great opportunity to establish an image as a hub city for nurturing talent in future industries."

According to the agreement, Hwaseong City plans to conduct research focusing on the necessity and feasibility of attracting a science high school together with Hwaseong Research Institute, and based on this, build a close cooperation system with the Office of Education and others regarding future strategies and plans for attracting the science high school.

Currently, the only science high school established in Gyeonggi Province is Uijeongbu Gyeonggi Northern Science High School, founded in 2005. Especially since science high schools recruit students on a provincial basis and Gyeonggi Province has a larger student population than other regions, the admission competition rate for Gyeonggi Northern Science High School for the 2024 academic year was 10.38 to 1, which is 2.7 times higher than the national average of 3.83 to 1.

Because of this, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced a plan to nurture talent in science and engineering fields in April, including the establishment of additional science high schools in the Gyeonggi area. Following the announcement of the policy to establish additional science high schools in Gyeonggi Province, competition among local governments to attract science high schools has also intensified. Besides Hwaseong City, cities such as Yongin, Seongnam, Bucheon, Siheung, and Goyang are currently competing to attract science high schools.