KAFSA calls for shift from recruitment to belonging in university internationalization

Having reached its goal of attracting 300,000 international students two years ahead of schedule, a university international affairs leader emphasized that Korea must now shift its focus from enrollment targets to helping international students build lasting lives in the country. “The focus should no longer be on how many international students Korea attracts, but on how the country can build an inclusive society with them,” said Jin Chang-hyun, chair of the Korean Association of Foreign Students Administrators (KAFSA) and chief of international affairs at Kyonggi University. For years, universities equated internationalization with rising enrollment.

But with the number of international students now exceeding 300,000, Jin said that the recruitment-driven model has run its course. “Internationalization is no longer optional. It is a matter of survival for universities,” he said.

“But using international students simply to fill empty seats risks higher dropout rates, visa overstays and an exodus of graduates soon after completing their studies.” In response, KAFSA's 2026 visio