Dochogo High School, About 50 Minutes by High-Speed Ferry from Mainland
County Governor Park Wuryang: "Writing a New History for Island Education"
A high school in Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, with a total enrollment of only 160 students, has made headlines as it produced its first-ever successful applicant to Seoul National University College of Medicine since its establishment. On the 19th, Sinan-gun announced through a press release that Moon Jeong-won, a third-year student at Dochodo High School, was finally admitted to Seoul National University College of Medicine for the 2025 academic year. This is the first time in the 47 years since Dochodo High School opened that a student has been accepted into Seoul National University College of Medicine. Among the 70 public high schools in Jeollanam-do this year, Dochodo High School is also the only one to have produced a successful applicant to Seoul National University College of Medicine. Dochodo High School is located 54.5 km southwest of Mokpo. It takes about 50 minutes by high-speed ferry to reach the mainland.
A student from a high school in the island region of Sinan, Jeollanam-do, has become the first to be admitted to Seoul National University College of Medicine since the school's opening, drawing attention. On the 19th, Sinan-gun announced in a press release that Moon Jeong-won, a third-year student at Dochon High School, has been finally accepted to Seoul National University College of Medicine for the 2025 academic year. Photo by Sinan-gun
Sinan-gun stated, "Despite Dochodo High School being on an island and facing disadvantages such as accessibility compared to urban schools, it has made full efforts to provide high-quality education to its students," highlighting initiatives such as ▲ operating regional joint education programs utilizing human and material resources from the local community ▲ running various autonomous curricula focused on student-tailored career experience ▲ promoting understanding of the local area by using island region historical and cultural resources, all aimed at strengthening students' academic capabilities.
Dochodo High School established a systematic education system by being selected as a boarding high school by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2008, designated as an autonomous school by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education in 2010, and transitioning to an Autonomous Public High School 2.0 system in 2024. In particular, the transition to a boarding high school and the provision of student-tailored career and college admission programs helped it become a prestigious school.
Moon Jeong-won, who was admitted to Seoul National University College of Medicine, said, "Although the environment was not affluent, I persevered in my studies because I had a dream. Studying on an island comes with many limitations, but thanks to the support from teachers, family, and friends beside me, I was able to succeed. When I become a doctor, I want to give back this gratitude to society and become someone who gives hope." Park Woo-ryang, the mayor of Sinan-gun, said, "This admission news has become an opportunity to instill confidence in island students that 'they can do it.' We will continue to spare no support so that local talents can advance to bigger stages."
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