High school students in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, achieved record results in university admissions for the 2026 academic year. A total of 387 students gained acceptance to major Seoul universities and medical programs, exceeding last year's record of 287 by more than 100. The figure has more than tripled from 128 students four years ago. Including 38 students admitted to specialized universities such as KAIST, the total reaches 425.
A public-private-academic collaborative education innovation system underpins these results.
Hanam City and the Gwangju-Hanam Office of Education are working to establish an independent Hanam Office of Education. The city has prepared joint office space on the sixth floor of its Comprehensive Welfare Town and launched a task force to complete administrative preparations.
Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education Lim Tae-hee has officially pledged to make establishing the Hanam Office of Education a top priority. An independent education office would enable immediate responses to issues such as overcrowded classrooms and new school construction, laying the foundation for localized future education strategies.
Balanced Improvement Across All Schools
These admissions results are significant because academic performance improved evenly across all city high schools rather than being driven by any single institution. Students achieved top results across various fields despite a volatile admissions environment marked by medical school quota adjustments and a notably difficult college entrance exam.
The city's education welfare policies focus on motivating students to set their own goals and pursue challenges.
Hanam City and the Hanam Education Foundation operate "University Campus Tour: Finding My Path." Last year, 120 million won funded direct campus experiences at prestigious universities including Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University. The program is open to all students regardless of economic circumstances. Since its 2022 pilot launch, cumulative participation has reached 10,420 students.
Corporate experience programs at Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Kia, and EBS run concurrently. The target audience expanded to elementary students starting in 2024, with 1,536 cumulative participants broadening the foundation for developing field-ready talent.
The Hanam Education Foundation provides one-on-one admissions consulting on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, offering major-specific admissions strategies and transcript analysis. During summer vacation, it launched an "all-in-one program" combining consulting with interview preparation. Services will be further refined in 2026.
Mentoring operates through the university student volunteer group "Hanam Dreamers," matching disadvantaged youth one-on-one with college mentors. Current and former professionals also deliver special lectures at schools. As of 2025, more than 10,000 students have participated.
Major Investment in Safety and Infrastructure
The city invested 650 million won in a "student commuter shuttle bus" to address long-distance commuting, with concurrent lane improvements to prevent traffic congestion during bus stops. Education welfare measures include dinner subsidies for third-year high school exam takers and enrollment grants for new elementary students.
Hanhol Middle School, opening this March, represents a signature achievement. To relieve overcrowding in Misa Riverside City, the city provided park land for school use through a free lease—an unprecedented decision nationwide. The city invested 3.3 billion won in the school's opening, completing trail reconstruction in Misa Forest Park and access road construction. Six new CCTV cameras and 12 security lights established a safety system for student commutes.
The city is also fostering a youth startup ecosystem. In partnership with Chung-Ang University's startup support team, it cultivates entrepreneurship clubs while strengthening support for youth startup competition entries and one-on-one mentoring.
"Education is a core factor determining urban competitiveness," said Hanam Mayor Lee Hyun-jae. "We will realize 'Education City Hanam,' where the entire city becomes a place of learning."
He added: "We will concentrate all administrative resources to help students grow into global talent who can excel on the world stage."
Hanam City aims to open the Hanam Office of Education within this year. It also plans to proceed with the opening of the tentatively named Misa 4th High School next year without delay. Through long-term investment, the city intends to establish itself as the nation's leading education-autonomous city.
