What will you do in Korea when there are no more students?

Out of 185 countries and fifteen territories in the word, Korea
is squarely in last place for fertility. This means no babies and
hence no more students. This will affect all teachers, hagwons,
schools, universities and any businesses whose main customers
are of student age.

Have you figured out what you will do? The writing is definitely
on the wall.

In my case I plan to retire in 2028-2029. It will be cutting it close.

Cue hangook and Chinese dreams. 

I think this would be more of an issue in smaller towns.  Any decrease around me in the Gyeonggi area is barely noticeable.  Babies everywhere and new teachers always flowing in.  There may be less opportunities, but jobs will still be around. 

Planning to do 1 more year, and will be studying again next semester as well, to retrain for when I return to my home country.

i'm planning on 1 more year as well. stuck it out here for a while because savings are ok and i wanted to travel (rip), once i get 3-4 vacations in around asia i think that'll be good enough for me to call it quits

Saw the writing on the wall years ago, secured a permanent career and moved back.

The future is brighter.

Just don't get stuck in the never-ending game of musical chairs which is Korea

Cue hangook and Chinese dreams. 

In your wet ones....

A friend of mine was teaching at a uni in Asan.  The entire English program was axed
and now the school has given notice of complete closure.

He's now having a great time teaching in Hungary.

A friend of mine was teaching at a uni in Asan.  The entire English program was axed
and now the school has given notice of complete closure.

He's now having a great time teaching in Hungary.

Wouldn't a school still need some English?  English still a requirement for Korea and for many company jobs? 

Glad he's enjoying himself in Hungary.  He has obviously reached the point where money no longer matters.  I wish I could do a year in Europe somewhere when retired years from now as long as they don't have age restrictions. 

There will probably be a mini boom in adult classes

I think this would be more of an issue in smaller towns.  Any decrease around me in the Gyeonggi area is barely noticeable.  Babies everywhere and new teachers always flowing in.  There may be less opportunities, but jobs will still be around. 

Agreed.
The nearest elementary school to us is adding a new story to the building to make room for the growing number of students. Another elementary school not far from here runs with 10 classes on each grade. All filled to the maximum capacity.

Of course the numbers on a nationwide level are declining. But I believe the population decline will not necessarily be followed by the same decline in overall spending on education. Meaning that parents will spend more on one child than before.

With that said, anyone with a half brain would know that this industry doesn't provide permanent employement opportunities and one should be ready to exit at any point.

Agreed.
The nearest elementary school to us is adding a new story to the building to make room for the growing number of students. Another elementary school not far from here runs with 10 classes on each grade. All filled to the maximum capacity.

That's probably because schools are merging together. And if you're in Gyeonggi, the apparent population boom is from a) Seoulites expanding outwards b) the rest of the country moving in towards Seoul

That's probably because schools are merging together. And if you're in Gyeonggi, the apparent population boom is from a) Seoulites expanding outwards b) the rest of the country moving in towards Seoul

No merging. This entire area (including the schools and everything else) was built around 10 years ago. No new residential units were added since. The schools were planned to accomodate a certain number of children living nearby. But they clearly miscalculated the numbers.

Out of 185 countries and fifteen territories in the word, Korea
is squarely in last place for fertility. This means no babies and
hence no more students.

One thing I see in Korea- no babies. That's not the outcome of what you are claiming. "Last place =/= Zero". This is obvious to anyone who hasn't obliterated the reasoning centers of their brain because they need "something to take the edge off."

FFS people, a decline in birthrate to 1 per couple doesn't mean no children being born and extinction in 50 years.

I'll be gone before then.

But it's not that hard to get qualified to teach in other countries. As long as you have that teaching cert, there are a lot of open doors that don't have the pay cap that Korea does.

Wouldn't a school still need some English?  English still a requirement for Korea and for many company jobs? 

Glad he's enjoying himself in Hungary.  He has obviously reached the point where money no longer matters.  I wish I could do a year in Europe somewhere when retired years from now as long as they don't have age restrictions.

Quite the coincidence that you two know the same guy. 

Agreed.
The nearest elementary school to us is adding a new story to the building to make room for the growing number of students. Another elementary school not far from here runs with 10 classes on each grade. All filled to the maximum capacity.

My school added an entire floor on two years ago because of the new apartments being built.  No school mergers around here. 

Quite the coincidence that you two know the same guy.

to be fair its kind of reasonable to assume that somebody teaching in europe probably isnt in it for the savings. i went to high school in prague, a fair few of my teachers had "retired" and moved into teaching from other careers - i think one was even an ex-senator or something.

all the young teachers were EU citizens, which i imagine gives you some sort of benefit lost to people who moved over from the states or wherever

to be fair its kind of reasonable to assume that somebody teaching in europe probably isnt in it for the savings. i went to high school in prague, a fair few of my teachers had "retired" and moved into teaching from other careers - i think one was even an ex-senator or something.

all the young teachers were EU citizens, which i imagine gives you some sort of benefit lost to people who moved over from the states or wherever

If it's the ESL thing I can believe salaries aren't huge in Hungary, but I wouldn't come out state is a reliable fact seeing as I've never been there or researched jobs there.  Also, he may be working at an international school there.  My buddy went from Korea to Bangkok to Munich and is now doing quite well.  I was just having some fun with Hangook for not even allowing the possibility of a guy he doesn't know, in a situation he is completely unfamiliar with, to be concerned with how much money he's making. 

If it's the ESL thing I can believe salaries aren't huge in Hungary, but I wouldn't come out state is a reliable fact seeing as I've never been there or researched jobs there.  Also, he may be working at an international school there.  My buddy went from Korea to Bangkok to Munich and is now doing quite well.  I was just having some fun with Hangook for not even allowing the possibility of a guy he doesn't know, in a situation he is completely unfamiliar with, to be concerned with how much money he's making.

thats fair, im just saying that the stereotype of expats saving europe for retirement years is something that goes well beyond hangook