Dongjin School, the First Special School in Eastern Seoul, Breaks Ground After 13 Years... Opening in 2027

The special school "Dongjin School," dedicated to students with intellectual disabilities, will break ground on October 22. This achievement comes 13 years after the initial establishment plan was made.

On this day, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Dongjin School in the area of 700, Sinnae-dong, Jungnang-gu.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 22nd that it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Dongjin School in the area of 700, Sinnae-dong, Jungnang-gu. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education

Dongjin School will be the first special school in the eastern region (Dongdaemun-gu and Jungnang-gu), with a total of 18 classes set to accommodate 111 students. In addition to kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school programs, the school will also offer vocational education courses to support employment after graduation. The school building will include not only classroom facilities for students, but also a multi-purpose complex that local residents can use. The building will have one basement level and three above-ground floors, featuring a swimming pool, gymnasium, lifelong education center, library, and cafeteria. The establishment of Dongjin School is expected to significantly strengthen the special education infrastructure in the northeastern region, where such facilities have been lacking, and to greatly reduce the burden of long-distance commuting for students and parents.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, only four special schools have been established in the past decade: Dawon School (2015), Dosol School and Narae School (2019), and Seojin School (2020). Dongjin School, which is breaking ground today, is scheduled to open in September 2027, while Seongjin School is planned to open in September 2029.

The establishment of these special schools has faced numerous challenges, and Dongjin School was no exception. Although site selection discussions began in 2012, repeated opposition from local residents forced the site to be changed eight times. The current site was only finalized in 2019, seven years later. Seongjin School, whose establishment has been pursued since 2022, also faced resistance from local residents, and it was only last month that the Seoul Metropolitan Council passed the construction plan. At that time, concerned parents even knelt in front of the council to plead for the ordinance to be passed, fearing that the establishment of Seongjin School would be derailed.

Superintendent Jeong Geunsik stated, "We have crossed a long and difficult ridge," and added, "The local community and the educational community will work together to do our utmost in creating a new future for special education."