Gyeongbuk Office of Education to Support Students with North Korean Backgrounds... Emotional Stability and Career Planning

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced on January 12 that it has established and will implement the "2026 Educational Support Plan for Students with North Korean Backgrounds" to support their stable adaptation to school and holistic development.

This plan aims to strengthen basic academic skills and school adaptation by providing demand-oriented, customized support that takes into account the diverse learning levels, emotional states, and cultural characteristics of students with North Korean backgrounds.

Gyeongbuk Office of Education

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education will operate "customized mentoring" programs tailored to the individual circumstances and needs of students with North Korean backgrounds.

The program will systematically support students’ holistic growth by including supplementary lessons for underperforming subjects, career and vocational guidance with external experts, professional counseling in cooperation with related organizations, and cultural experience activities.

During the summer vacation, a "Career and Academic Mentoring Camp" will be held for one night and two days.

Targeting elementary and middle school students with North Korean backgrounds, the program will focus on experiential, communicative, and empathetic activities with peers, providing intensive career exploration and emotional exchange opportunities that are difficult to experience in regular school settings. Through this, the plan aims to enhance students’ career planning abilities, social skills, and school adaptation.

In April, "Training for Understanding and Capacity Building for Students with North Korean Backgrounds" will be conducted.

For homeroom teachers and staff in charge, the training will deepen understanding of students with North Korean backgrounds and strengthen field-oriented guidance capabilities, thereby establishing a practical support system within schools.

Additionally, the Gyeongbuk Academic Review Committee will be convened every month to review the academic credentials of North Korean defectors and others, and issue academic recognition certificates that can be used for admission to higher-level schools and employment, supporting their adaptation and stable settlement in South Korean society.

Through the 2026 educational support project for students with North Korean backgrounds, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education expects to broaden students’ self-understanding and career awareness, strengthen their motivation to continue their studies and future planning abilities, and ultimately achieve educational outcomes such as emotional stability and improved school adaptation.

Furthermore, the office plans to continue providing systematic and ongoing support in collaboration with schools and the local community, so that students with North Korean backgrounds can grow into valuable talents who will lead the upcoming era of unification.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "Education for students with North Korean backgrounds requires an integrated approach that goes beyond simple academic support to include emotional stability and career planning," adding, "We will continue to provide support through customized mentoring, career and academic guidance, and teacher capacity building so that students with North Korean backgrounds can grow into confident members of our society."