With military clashes continuing among the United States, Israel and Iran, a total of 468 Israeli and Iranian international students are enrolled at universities in Korea. Universities are also considering allowing special leaves of absence for some students in case the Middle East crisis drags on.
According to the Ministry of Education on the 10th, as of last year there were 419 Iranian nationals and 49 Israeli nationals enrolled at universities in Korea. The total number of students from the two countries is 468, of whom 320 are in degree programs such as undergraduate and graduate schools.
Since the Middle East crisis, universities have been continuously checking whether any students are staying in their home countries, but there are cases where they are having difficulty because they cannot be reached. An official at a university in the capital region said, "At this stage, it is difficult to accurately determine whether students are staying locally or returning to Korea."
Among major universities, the institution with the most Iranian and Israeli students is Seoul National University. As of last year, Seoul National University had 24 students enrolled, including 23 Iranian nationals and 1 Israeli national. At Yonsei University, 10 Iranian nationals and 5 Israeli nationals were counted as enrolled.
Conversely, among major universities in Korea, there were no Korean students dispatched as exchange students to Iran or Israel, nor any staying there.
In the case of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, it suspended the dispatch of exchange students in light of the heightened tensions between the two countries since last year. An official at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies explained, "Two students were scheduled to go to Iran as exchange students this semester, but during meetings with parents, safety concerns were raised, so the dispatch was withdrawn before the military clashes occurred."
Universities are also reviewing academic support measures for Iranian and Israeli students in preparation for the possibility that the Middle East crisis will be prolonged. Depending on the situation, allowing special leaves of absence is being discussed.
An official at a university in the capital region said, "Students may be able to continue their studies through online lectures, but in reality there are cases where this is difficult," adding, "Depending on students' situations, we are also considering allowing special leaves of absence based on the school regulations."