IB Transforms Education... "Pyeongtaek Godeok Woomirin The Premier" Set to Benefit from School-Zone Appeal

As Discussion- and Essay-Based IB Education Gains Ground, Education Hotspots Favored by Education-Conscious Parents Are Shifting

As International Baccalaureate (IB) education is drawing attention in the real estate market as a new paradigm in education for children, homes near IB schools are rapidly emerging as desirable locations for families seeking access to quality education.

The IB is an internationally accredited curriculum developed and administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), a Swiss nonprofit educational foundation. Rather than relying on multiple-choice exams, it uses discussions, essays, and inquiry-based assignments for instruction and assessment. Its strength is seen as its ability to help students develop the skills to think independently and express their ideas in writing and speech, rather than simply memorize correct answers. According to the IBO, the program is offered at about 6,000 schools in more than 160 countries worldwide, and its high school Diploma Programme (DP) is widely recognized in overseas university admissions.

The IB was first introduced in South Korea in 2019, when the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education signed memorandums of cooperation with the IBO. Formal accreditation followed in 2021, with Kyungpook National University College of Education Affiliated High School in Daegu receiving it in September and Pyoseon High School in Jeju in November. The first graduates of these schools achieved strong results in the 2024 university admissions process.

As the educational benefits have become evident, the number of schools adopting the IB is growing rapidly. According to IB Korea, as of July 2026, 269 public schools in South Korea were offering the IB, 2.8 times the 95 recorded in September 2024. During the same period, the number of IB World Schools formally accredited by the IBO rose from 34 to 126, while 423 schools were considering adoption.

Against this backdrop, IB education opportunities are also a key consideration for homebuyers with a strong interest in their children’s education. In fact, home prices have risen in some complexes near schools known for their IB programs. A prime example is the area near Kyungpook National University College of Education Affiliated High School in Daegu, whose first IB graduates achieved strong university admissions results.

According to actual transaction data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, an 84-square-meter unit at Bokhyeon I-Park, near the school and completed in 2021, sold for KRW 657 million this past August, up 17.3% from KRW 560 million two years earlier. This is nearly five times the 3.6% increase in the average apartment sale price per 3.3 square meters in Bokhyeon-dong over the same period.

A real estate expert said, “As the advantages of IB education become better known, more parents who prioritize their children’s education are considering moving near schools that offer the IB. Areas around prestigious schools also attract affluent families with a strong focus on education, creating a good study environment. The fact that these areas often develop into affluent neighborhoods is another factor drawing interest.”

With people in their 30s and 40s who have school-age children firmly established as the main buyers in the housing market, demand for access to differentiated educational environments is expected to drive up real estate values in the surrounding areas.

This is why new housing developments in areas with access to IB education are drawing strong interest from homebuyers.

Woomi Construction’s consortium plans to launch sales in November for Pyeongtaek Godeok Woomirin The Premier, in the Godeok Internationalization Planning District in Godeok-dong, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The complex will comprise 623 homes across eight buildings, with two underground floors and up to 23 floors above ground, and unit sizes of 84, 94, 101, and 111 square meters.

An international school to be established and operated by U.S. private school Annie Wright Schools is planned for the Edu Town site near the complex, with a target opening in 2030. Annie Wright Schools is an IB World School. According to Pyeongtaek City, the Godeok international school also plans to offer an integrated curriculum from kindergarten through high school and introduce the IB Diploma Programme.

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