Seoul Learn Marks 5th Anniversary... Oh Se-hoon: "From Educational Ladder to Ladder of Growth"

High-Five Seoul Learn Event Held

"Seoul Learn Performance Sharing, Growth Talk"

Mentor Ambassadors Appointed, New Brand Identity Unveiled

Cumulative Membership Surpasses 44,000 as of End of August

Seoul Learn, Seoul City's flagship educational welfare initiative, has marked its fifth anniversary. Since its launch, the number of registered users has increased from over 9,000 in the first year to more than 44,000, and the number of students accepted to universities this year reached a record high of 914. The cumulative total of students who have been accepted into universities through Seoul Learn has now reached 2,840.

On September 6, Seoul City hosted an event to review the achievements of the past five years and to outline plans for developing Seoul Learn as a “ladder for growth.” At the “High-Five Seoul Learn” event, held in the afternoon at Seoul City Hall, the newly redesigned brand identity (BI) was unveiled, and teacher Hyejeong Yoon and “virtuous cycle mentor” Mingyeong Seomun were appointed as brand ambassadors.

The “High-Five Seoul Learn” event takes its name from the gesture of a high-five, symbolizing a celebration of Seoul Learn’s five years and encouragement for students’ new growth and challenges. During the event, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Seoul Learn students, and mentors engaged in dialogue, reflecting on Seoul Learn’s journey up to now and discussing future directions. The conversation was structured around three key themes: growth, togetherness, and leap forward.

The new Seoul Learn brand ambassadors are Hyejeong Yoon, a leading Korean language instructor at EBS and teacher at Kangil High School, and student Mingyeong Seomun. As a student who grew through Seoul Learn and now supports younger students' studies and career paths as a “virtuous cycle mentor,” Seomun exemplifies Seoul Learn’s cycle of growth and mutual support.

The new brand identity was also unveiled. The redesign visually represents “growth and expansion,” showing students starting from learning, experiencing various challenges, discovering their potential, and advancing toward the future. Through this, Seoul City communicated its vision to establish Seoul Learn as an “integrated growth platform” that organically connects learning, mentoring, career exploration, admissions, and hands-on experiences—supporting each student’s potential and ambition.

In July, Seoul City further detailed its “Companionship with the Underprivileged” initiative and adjusted the eligibility requirements for Seoul Learn to reduce disparities at the starting line. The criteria were relaxed from at or below 60% of the median income to at or below 80%. Now included are children from large families, children who use local children’s centers, grandchildren eligible for national merit, and residents of single-parent welfare facilities. As a result, the number of potential Seoul Learn beneficiaries has increased from approximately 120,000 to about 170,000.

As of the end of August, there were 44,000 Seoul Learn users, a fivefold increase from 9,069 in its inaugural year. University admissions for the 2026 academic year also hit a new record high of 914, nearly double the 462 students admitted in the 2023 academic year.

The learning capabilities and attitudes of Seoul Learn users have continued to improve. According to the Seoul Learn performance evaluation, users’ learning competencies rose from 75 points in 2022 to 83 points in 2025, while learning attitudes increased from 75 points to 85 points during the same period. Seoul Learn’s impact extends beyond university admissions to employment. In an early-year career and admissions survey, 75 users reported successful employment, more than triple the previous year’s figure, and 95% of those who either secured a job or were accepted to university said they would recommend Seoul Learn to others.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, "Seoul Learn is one of the city’s flagship 'Companionship with the Underprivileged' policies, going beyond narrowing the achievement gap caused by financial circumstances to providing all youth with a fair starting line and the opportunity for growth. Over the past five years, the most significant achievement has not only been university admissions or academic performance, but opening up opportunities for all children—regardless of background—to shape their future with their own effort and talent."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.