The Korea Times
Only one private kindergarten in Korea operates a special class for students with disabilities, despite the growing number of children requiring such support. According to data released by the Kindergarten Information Service on Sunday, only 28 percent of the 4,567 public kindergartens offer special education classes, with conditions significantly worse in the private sector. In total, there are 7,449 public and private kindergartens in the country, with private kindergartens accounting for 38.7 percent. However, only one private institution — located in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province — offers a special education class. While the availability of special classes in kindergartens remains limited, the number of children requiring such support has steadily increased each year. The figure rose from 95,420 in 2020 to 98,154 in 2021, surpassing 100,000 for the first time in 2022 at 103,695. It continued to climb to 109,703 in 2023, 115,610 in 2024 and 120,735 in 2025. Special education recipients are children identified as needing specialized support due to physical, emotional or developmental dis
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