320,157 School-Age Children Set to Enter Elementary School
Investigations Underway for 124 Whose Whereabouts Are Unconfirmed
Among the school-age children scheduled to enter elementary school in the 2026 academic year, 124 did not attend the preliminary enrollment orientation, and their whereabouts have not been confirmed. The police are currently investigating these children.
On the 26th, the Ministry of Education announced that, through cooperation among schools, local governments, and local police stations to verify the whereabouts and safety of school-age children, they were able to finally confirm the whereabouts of 320,033 children, or 99.9% of the total 320,157 school-age children for this year. The police are investigating the remaining 124 children whose whereabouts have not been confirmed.
Of the 124 children, 118 are believed to have left the country, and the case has been referred to local police through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas diplomatic missions. Investigations are also underway for the remaining 6 children who are presumed to be residing in Korea.
Earlier, elementary schools nationwide conducted in-person preliminary enrollment orientations over a 46-day period from December 16, 2025, to January 30, 2026, to confirm the whereabouts and safety of school-age children.
For children who did not attend the preliminary enrollment orientation, schools and local governments checked the children’s whereabouts and safety through phone and video calls, verification of immigration records via joint use of administrative information, and home visits. In cases where it was difficult to confirm a child’s whereabouts or safety during this process, the matter was immediately referred to the local police station for investigation.
The Ministry of Education plans to continue checking the whereabouts and safety of children who did not attend the preliminary enrollment orientation even after the official school entry date.
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