Beats "4.84-to-1" Odds... Yongin Semiconductor High School Selects Its First 134 Students

Yongin's Only Semiconductor-Focused High School in Gyeonggi Province to Open Next March
32% from Yongin; 68% from Other Cities and Counties
Hiring Agreements for 109 First Graduates Signed with 52 Companies
Mayor Lee Sangil: "I Hope They Grow into Talent Who Contribute to the Semiconductor Industry"

Yongin Semiconductor High School, the only high school in Gyeonggi Province specializing in semiconductors, which will open in March 2027, has selected its first class of 134 students.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin Special City. Photo courtesy of Yongin City.

Yongin Special City, headed by Mayor Lee Sang-il, announced on November 12 that 620 students from across the country applied for the general admissions track for the 2027 academic year, held from November 3 to 5, resulting in an acceptance ratio of 4.84 to 1. This exceeds next year's admissions ratios at semiconductor high schools in other regions, including Seoul and North Chungcheong Province.

A total of 134 students were admitted: 128 through the general admissions track, plus two each through the national merit, special-case, and special admissions categories. By place of residence, 43 students (32%) are from Yongin, while the remaining 91 (68%) come from 17 other cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province.

Yongin Semiconductor High School will be built on a 17,634-square-meter site at the former Namgok Branch School in Namsa-eup, Cheoin-gu. It is the only high school specializing in semiconductors in Gyeonggi Province. In its first year, it will operate as a specialized vocational high school, with eight classes across two departments: semiconductor manufacturing and equipment. When it becomes a Meister high school in March 2028, the manufacturing process department will teach all eight major semiconductor processes, while the equipment department will cover equipment maintenance and repair, automated controls, and facility operations.

The city plans to establish new public transit routes for students commuting from other regions and support work-based learning and employment connections. It has also signed hiring agreements with 52 companies covering 109 graduates, so that the first students can find jobs at local semiconductor companies after graduating in 2030.

In April 2023, Yongin City signed a business agreement with semiconductor-related companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Surplus Global, to designate and develop the Yongin Semiconductor Meister High School (tentative name). The parties agreed to develop curricula to train semiconductor talent, provide teachers with technical guidance for their work, and support practical training for students.

Employment opportunities will also be available after graduation. Yongin City has signed agreements with 52 companies and secured hiring commitments for 109 students in advance, so that the first class can move directly into jobs in the local semiconductor industry after graduating in 2030.

Earlier, in April 2023, Yongin City signed a business agreement with Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Surplus Global, and others to develop curricula and support practical training. It also formed a talent-development consultative body with six local universities, including Kyung Hee University, Dankook University, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Artist's rendering of Yongin Semiconductor Meister High School. Provided by Yongin City.

Yongin City also plans to establish new public transit routes for students commuting from other regions.

Mayor Lee Sang-il said, "We have worked hard to open Yongin Semiconductor High School, which I pledged to establish during the election for Yongin Special City mayor in the fourth year of the eighth popularly elected administration. I am pleased that admissions have been completed with such a high acceptance ratio. I congratulate the students who will attend this semiconductor high school in Yongin, a city poised to become a global semiconductor hub."

He added, "I hope the students will learn a great deal at school, develop practical skills, and grow into talent that contributes to the development of Korea's semiconductor industry. Yongin City will continue to support and encourage Yongin Semiconductor High School as it grows into an outstanding place of learning."

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