Gyeongbuk Office of Education Repurposes Closed Schools
From Online School to Mathematics Culture Center
Building Sustainable Models for Community Coexistence
Schools that were once filled with the laughter of children are increasingly closing their doors due to declining birth rates and an aging population. However, closed schools are not merely abandoned buildings; they are valuable assets imbued with the history and memories of their communities. The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Im Jong-sik) has made multifaceted efforts to transform these closed schools into new sources of vitality for local communities.
Superintendent Im Jong-sik has focused on repurposing closed schools for educational use, such as establishing safety experience centers in Gyeongju and Uiseong to enhance student safety education, and opening Korean language education centers to help multicultural students adapt to life in Korea, thereby driving the transformation of closed schools.
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education prioritizes utilizing closed school properties for educational purposes. This approach seeks to maximize the educational value of these sites while providing new learning and experiential opportunities for students and local residents. Through thorough feasibility analyses and the formation of consultative bodies for school reuse, the office has developed long-term, concrete plans for in-house utilization and achieved successful case studies through budget investments.
The Uiseong Safety Experience Center, which opened in January 2021, is the first comprehensive safety experience center in Gyeongbuk, created by repurposing the site of the former Dain Elementary School Dalje Branch.
This center offers educational programs that allow not only students and staff but also local residents to directly experience safety scenarios closely related to daily life, such as earthquakes, firefighting, traffic, and natural disasters, thereby improving their crisis response capabilities.
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education Gyeongju Safety Experience Center, which opened in December 2022, was established on the site of the former Angangbukbu Elementary School. As a key pledge project of Superintendent Im Jong-sik, it has been developed as a comprehensive safety experience center tailored to the unique characteristics of the southeastern region of Gyeongbuk.
With a site area of 14,096 square meters and a total floor area of 5,494 square meters, the center operates 25 experiential programs across five areas: traffic safety, disaster safety, daily life safety, respect for life, and first aid. Since its official launch in March 2023, the Gyeongju Safety Experience Center has attracted more than 20,000 visitors annually, enjoying high satisfaction with its programs and operating actively.
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education Gyeongju Korean Language Education Center was established in March 2023 on the site of the former Nowol Elementary School in Naenam-myeon, Gyeongju. The center provides systematic, customized Korean language education and adaptation programs for children (elementary, middle, and high school) from immigrant and foreign families through small group, level-based classes.
To enhance the Korean language communication skills and support the emotional and cultural adaptation of students from immigrant backgrounds, the center operates a variety of dynamic, experiential Korean language-based talent and aptitude programs.
The Gyeongju Korean Language Education Center is strengthening the support for public education and nurturing global talent by building a systematic and proactive educational infrastructure in line with the growing need and importance of Korean language education for students from immigrant backgrounds.
Three sites-an auto camping site in Pohang (former Sangok Elementary School Haok Branch), Gimcheon (former Daedeok Middle School Jungsan Branch), and Yeongdeok (former Yeongdeok Yaseong Elementary School Changpo Branch)-have been operating since January 2022, providing natural rest spaces for educational families and local residents.
Pohang and Gimcheon each offer 15 camping sites, while Yeongdeok offers 25. All locations are equipped with amenities such as showers, restrooms, water supply, dishwashing stations, recycling stations, and facilities for handling embers.
The facilities are available to students, parents, school staff, and Gyeongbuk residents. The daily usage fee is 20,000 won per site (including electricity and water). Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education integrated reservation system.
To enable more educational families and residents of Gyeongbuk to enjoy auto camping, a new auto camping site with 12 sites is being constructed on the site of the former Buseok Elementary School Namdae Branch in Yeongju, with the goal of opening in January 2026.
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education is also actively utilizing closed school sites for the construction of large-scale educational facilities currently underway, thereby laying the foundation for future education.
The former Namsan Elementary School Samsung Branch in Namsan-myeon, Gyeongsan, was reborn as the Gyeongbuk Online School in March 2025.
The Gyeongbuk Online School is expected to serve as a significant turning point in establishing an open educational system that addresses educational disparities between regions and overcomes the physical limitations of individual schools and areas. Students can receive quality education regardless of where they live and experience personalized learning tailored to their individual career paths and aptitudes.
In the first semester of the 2025 academic year, 78 courses were offered to high school students in the province who wished to participate, with 44 schools and approximately 740 students taking part. Among them, Ulleung High School, located at the easternmost point of the country, had eight students participating, demonstrating the diverse, customized educational opportunities provided.
The Gyeongbuk Online School operates on a small scale with eight full-time teachers, but the number of courses, students, and participating schools continues to grow rapidly. In particular, more than 1,000 students applied for courses in the first semester of 2025, reflecting high interest and establishing the school as one of the leading online education models nationwide.
The Gyeongbuk Office of Education plans to open the Gyeongbuk Office of Education Mathematics Culture Center in October 2025 on the site of the former Gyeongbuk Science High School.
This initiative, part of Superintendent Im Jong-sik's "Four Major Future Education Policies," was launched in response to social demands for the creation of a sustainable mathematics education ecosystem and the strengthening of mathematics education.
The Mathematics Culture Center, themed "Everything is Mathematics," will allow visitors to discover mathematical principles in everyday life and will feature exhibition and experience spaces designed to be both challenging and enjoyable, reflecting the characteristics of the digital native generation.
The first floor will include educational spaces and lounges for math clubs, research activities, and various programs; the second floor will offer a math play area for young children; the third floor will provide spaces to experience mathematics in future technologies and the arts; and the fourth floor will feature exhibits on the application of mathematics in daily life and the history of mathematics.
The Mathematics Culture Center is designed to help students build successful experiences and regain confidence and interest in mathematics through engaging activities and digital platform-based challenges. It is also expected to serve as a hub for popularizing mathematics and spreading mathematical culture, providing an open educational space where everyone can enjoy and grow together through mathematics.
The (tentatively named) Gyeongbuk Office of Education Early Childhood Education Promotion Center will be established on the site of the former Imbong Elementary School in Sandong-eup, Gumi. Aiming to strengthen the state's responsibility for early childhood education and realize educational welfare, the center will build a comprehensive support system to satisfy young children, teachers, and parents. The center will conduct research to support public education, provide information, develop programs and teaching materials, offer teacher training, and run experiential education programs for young children. The (tentatively named) Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education Early Childhood Education Promotion Center is scheduled to open in 2027, with a total project budget of 37.8 billion won.
In this way, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education continues to prioritize the educational value of closed schools and is establishing various self-utilization models that foster coexistence with local communities.
The process of transforming closed schools from mere idle spaces into vital resources for future education and regional development offers new hope. Going forward, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education plans to continue investing in expanding educational facilities utilizing closed schools to enrich students' learning experiences and strengthen the regional educational infrastructure.
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