Gwangyang Health College to close; Ministry of Education to arrange transfers for students

Students to be transferred to equivalent or similar programs at nearby universities

Special transfer arrangements are being made for 121 students enrolled at Gwangyang Health College, a two-year vocational institution in South Jeolla Province set to close after being designated a failing private school, so they can continue their studies at nearby universities offering equivalent or similar programs.

The Ministry of Education said Monday it would pursue special mid-year transfers for the second semester for 121 students — including international students — enrolled at Gwangyang Health College. The college's closure has been confirmed for Aug. 31 following the bankruptcy of its operating foundation, Yangnam Hakwon.

The transfers are open to any of the 121 students enrolled across the college's eight departments who wish to move to another institution.

The ministry is seeking cooperation from universities in nearby Suncheon and Yeosu, as well as institutions across South Jeolla Province, Gwangju and North Jeolla Province, to place students in programs identical or similar to their current fields of study.

To protect students' right to continue their education, transfers will be offered in two rounds — the second semester of the 2026 academic year as the first round, and the first semester of the 2027 academic year as the second.

For students in programs requiring clinical or practical training before graduation — such as health and medical fields — receiving universities will be asked to adjust practicum schedules to prevent any delay in graduation.

For students with disabilities, receiving universities will be required to review and prepare their student support systems in advance in accordance with relevant laws and institutional accreditation standards.

The ministry plans to hold an information session for students interested in the special transfer program on July 29 at 2 p.m. at the Gwangyang-eup Culture and Arts Center, where officials will outline the transfer schedule and key considerations.

Yangnam Hakwon was declared bankrupt by the Gwangju Rehabilitation Court on June 19 following severe financial difficulties and deteriorating management. Under the Enforcement Decree of the Higher Education Act, students may transfer to other universities outside regular enrollment quotas when a school foundation goes bankrupt.

The college has been mired in problems since 1994, when founder and chairman Lee Hong-ha was found to have embezzled school funds, leading to its designation as a failing institution. As its finances worsened, the foundation sought a new sponsor willing to assume its 40.3 billion won ($27.2 million) in debt, but the search ultimately failed.