A promotional poster for Seoul Metropolitan Government's online learning and mentoring programs. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

What began as an online tutoring program for struggling students during the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly evolving into something much bigger: a digital lifeline for thousands of young people in Seoul trying to close the education gap in one of the world’s most competitive academic cultures.

Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that enrollment in Seoul Learn, the city’s free education welfare platform for low-income students, has surpassed 40,000 users for the first time since the program launched in 2021.

The city also announced a major expansion of the platform beginning in June, adding artificial intelligence (AI)-based English learning tools, career development courses and new mentoring programs aimed at supporting students from middle school through early employment.

Officials said the platform’s academic impact has become increasingly visible. According to the city’s annual performance review, high school students using Seoul Learn improved their average school grades from 3.16 to 3.52 between the first and second semesters of 2025.

Students who relied more heavily on the service showed even stronger gains. Those who used Seoul Learn for more than half of their extracurricular study improved their average grades by 0.42 points, compared with 0.20 points among lighter users.

The city also said 52.4 percent of participating households reported reduced private education spending in 2024, up from 42.1 percent the previous year. Families that reported lower costs said they saved an average of 347,000 won ($232) per month on private tutoring and academy fees.

University admissions among users have also nearly doubled over four years, rising from 462 successful applicants in the 2023 academic year to 914 in 2026.

Beginning in June, users will gain access to two additional learning platforms, including the AI-based English app Malhaeboca and career skills platform Stud.io. The number of learning sites students can select will expand from six to eight.

The city said it also plans to strengthen AI education programs in partnership with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and expand career mentoring with 130 working professionals.

Source: Korea Times News