Muhak Girls' High School in Seoul will convert to coeducation starting next year amid opposition from its alumni association. With the alumni association signaling a hardline response including legal action, the conflict is expected to continue.
According to Seoul Economic Daily reporting compiled on the 1st, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has finalized eight schools, including Muhak Girls' High School, for conversion among the 11 schools that applied for coeducation conversion for the 2027-2028 academic years.
As a result, Jeongwon Girls' Middle School, Seongsim Girls' Middle School, Hanyang Middle School, Hanyang Science and Technology High School, Sinjeong Girls' Middle School, Seoul Sinjeong High School, and Muhak Girls' High School will become coed starting in the 2027 academic year, while Seongsim Girls' High School will convert starting in the 2028 academic year.
By contrast, Hwigyeong Girls' Middle School, Hwigyeong Girls' High School, and Songgok High School were excluded from this round of conversions, as they were judged to require further review of student placement and facility conditions. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to review whether to pursue the conversions again if the relevant conditions are met in the future.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will support the cost of improving facilities such as restrooms, changing rooms, and health rooms to enhance student convenience facilities at the schools converting to coed. In addition, it plans to inject a total of 300 million won in conversion support funds per school over three years, including 240 million won in operating costs and 60 million won in labor costs, to support the operation of adaptation programs for members and the expansion of student guidance personnel. It will also pursue necessary administrative procedures before the schools open, such as changing school names and revising related ordinances.
The coed conversion was pursued as a measure to respond to changes in student numbers stemming from the declining school-age population. Improving students' commuting conditions and resolving gender ratio imbalances by region were also cited as reasons behind the initiative. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education finalized the conversion targets by comprehensively reviewing student placement plans, school assignment conditions, the need for coed conversion, the deliberation results of school steering committees, and facility conditions.
"We expect that this coed conversion will improve students' commuting conditions and enable school operations that reflect educational demand," an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said. "In line with changes in the school-age population, we will continuously improve the school system to guarantee students' right to learn and enhance educational competitiveness."
Meanwhile, the Muhak Girls' High School alumni association has launched collective action in protest of the coed conversion decision. Following the school's application for coed conversion, the alumni association formed an "Emergency Response Committee Against Coed Conversion." On the 20th of last month, it met with Seoul Superintendent of Education Jeong Keun-sik and expressed its intention to respond by mobilizing all possible means, including head-shaving and hunger strikes, if the coed conversion plan is not withdrawn.
The emergency committee continued rallies in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education demanding the withdrawal of the coed conversion until the previous day. The committee intends to pursue legal action, including administrative litigation, if the education office forces through the coed conversion.
