Home > National > Social Affairs

'I like it here': Students, parents warm up to Daegu's merged school policy

Published: 16 Apr. 2026, 06:00 Updated: 16 Apr. 2026, 15:59

Kim Min-jun, a student at Gunwi Elementary in Gunwi County, Daegu [JOONGANG ILBO]

Eleven-year-old Kim Min-jun lives on the rolling mountains of Gunwi County in Daegu, about 700 meters (2,297 feet) above sea level. Though geographically isolated, he has many friends at his new elementary school, where students from five other schools have also transferred.

“I get excited thinking about meeting my friends as soon as I wake up in the morning," he told the JoongAng Ilbo at Daegu Gunwi Elementary School on March 31.

Kim transferred to the school last spring from Uiheung Elementary, which had just 19 students, including his 9-year-old sibling. His father previously had to drive him for about 20 minutes to the school bus stop, after which Kim had to ride the bus for another 15 minutes.

At his new school, Kim has over 200 schoolmates, and a taxi provided by the city’s education office picks him up directly from his home. The trip takes 45 minutes.

“It’s easier to get to and from school now, and I have more friends, so I like it here,” Kim said, smiling. “I like gym classes the most, and I also enjoy class discussions.”

Students are outside Gunwi Elementary in Gunwi County, Daegu, on March 31. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Gunwi Elementary, which had 254 enrolled students as of last month, brings together pupils from its own campus and seven nearby schools — Songwon, Hyoryeong, Gome, Bugye, Ubo, Uiheung and Daegu Bugye Elementary School’s Seoksan branch — making it the only elementary school in the county still actively enrolling new students. Similarly, Gunwi Middle School has integrated students from five other schools.

The campus mergers are a result of Gunwi County’s incorporation into Daegu, the country’s third-largest city, in July 2023. It was previously a part of North Gyeongsang.

Following the administrative shift, the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education announced a “hub school policy,” which has been in effect since July 2024. The policy consolidates smaller schools in Gunwi into a single elementary, middle and high school, marking the first initiative of its kind in the country.

“After Gunwi was incorporated [into Daegu], I visited the county’s schools and found that there were too few students for children to even engage in proper physical activities,” Kang Eun-hee, the superintendent of the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education, said. “For students’ social development and a proper curriculum, consolidation was necessary.

“Over the past 20 to 30 years, there have been efforts to save small schools, but most have failed. Regardless of teachers’ efforts, the limitations of the system are very clear.”

Gunwi residents oppose school mergers, later warm to changes

Initially, county residents strongly opposed the move, arguing that Daegu’s plan to merge schools ran counter to national efforts to preserve small schools and address the population decline.

“Eliminating small schools in rural areas will lead to the collapse of local infrastructure and deepen inequality,” a parents’ committee protested during a town hall at the Gunwi Community Center last September. “Gunwi accounts for 41 percent of Daegu’s total area, so how can there only be one elementary, middle and high school each?”

In response, the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education outlined plans to provide free transportation for students in partnership with local transit groups. It also introduced a system in which students can head to nearby child care centers after school, stay for supervised activities and even eat dinner there and then return home.

Additionally, it plans to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) system, a popular academic curriculum typically seen in international and private schools, across all kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools in Gunwi.


The education office allocated 40 billion won ($26.7 million) to hub schools to build new facilities and renovate dormitories.

After multiple briefings with parents, four students from Ubo Elementary School transferred to Gunwi Elementary School in November 2024.

“I will never forget how nervous I was on the day the students transferred,” said Gunwi Elementary School Principal Kim Bong-soo. “When the four students got off the school bus, their new classmates ran up, linked their arms together and laughed, and I felt a sense of relief.”

Gunwi now has one hub school each at the elementary, middle and high school levels; Bugye Elementary and Middle School, which are specialized vocational schools; two elementary branch schools; and one middle school branch.

“After a recent open class for parents, some told me, ‘Our child has become brighter and more expressive. Thank you,’” Principal Kim said. “All teachers will do their best to help students continue to adapt well.”

Hub school draws students as outcomes improve

Gunwi’s hub school system also shows signs of boosting educational outcomes.

Just one year and six months after its introduction, Gunwi High School saw three students gain admission to medical and pharmaceutical programs for the 2026 academic year. Of its 88 seniors, 27 were accepted to major national universities, including 13 to Kyungpook National University in Daegu; Korea National University of Education in Cheongju, North Chungcheong; and Daegu National University of Education.


The school has drawn students from central Daegu as well, with nine transferring last year and 39 this year. One student, Lee Yoo-seung, transferred from Incheon.

Lee Yoo-seung transferred to Gunwi High School from a school in Incheon for the 2026 school year. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Lee had ranked second in his first-year class. His move to Gunwi High School as a second year offered no special region-based college admissions advantages, which require at least six years of residence in the area. Instead, Lee said he chose the school for the quality of its education.

“I carefully considered the quality of teachers, the IB curriculum and the facilities, such as modern dormitories and study cafes,” he said. “My father in Incheon respected my decision. The quiet surroundings help me focus on studying, I’m closer to my mother in Daegu and I’ve made many friends.”

“As more outstanding students gather, the academic atmosphere continues to improve,” said the high school’s Vice Principal Lim Ho-in.

“The changes in Gunwi are not simply about school consolidation but part of an educational innovation to improve the quality of learning,” said Superintendent Kang. “We will continue improving the education environment so that students can gain the strength to move toward a bigger world.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]