Korea’s Brightest Minds Leave Amid Pay Freezes and Poor Research Support

South Korea is facing a serious brain drain (두뇌 유출), as many professors (교수들) at Seoul National University and other top institutions leave for overseas (해외) jobs. In 2025 alone, 56 professors started new careers abroad—many citing better research funding (연구 자금), work–life balance (일과 삶의 균형), and international collaboration (국제 협력). These trends highlight challenges in Korea’s academic system.

Top talent are leaving Korea

You’ll often hear 교수 이탈 (professor’s departure) or 우수 인재 유출 (top talent outflow) in news about academia.

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Easy to Learn Korean 1702 – Attend a University (Part Two).

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