South Korea faces shortage of 4,663 special education teachers

South Korea is facing a significant shortage of special education teachers as the number of students requiring special education rises. According to data from the Ministry of Education provided to National Assembly Education Committee member Kim Moon-soo, there is a nationwide deficit of 4,663 teachers relative to the legal requirement of one teacher for every four students.

Gyeonggi Province reports the highest shortage, lacking 1,685 teachers, which accounts for approximately 36% of the national deficit. Other regions with notable shortages include Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeongnam. The shortage is particularly acute in elementary schools, where the student-to-teacher ratio exceeds the legal limit.

The number of students requiring special education has grown by 19.8% since 2022, reaching 124,195 this year. This rapid increase, combined with high teacher turnover rates—where mid-career resignations are over three times higher than retirement rates—has raised concerns regarding the infringement of students' rights to learning and increased workloads for educators.