Projecting fewer high school graduates than the total number of openings for university freshmen in near future, the Ministry of Education announced plans to reduce the number of college openings by 2022. (South Korea’s birthrate is 1.18 children per woman last year, the lowest among the OECD member countries)

While many changes are expected, an official from a local education firm Uway said “The overall trend - of most students feeling like they have to go to college - is likely to change,” and he added that lower ranked universities would be mostly affected by a shortage in students, but the competition for the top-tier will become more intense. He also addressed that education in the country is likely to become polarized. “Some people will spend much more money than now on private education, while others won’t.”