A first grader waves to his parents during the entrance ceremony at Daepyeong Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. (Yonhap)
A first grader waves to his parents during the entrance ceremony at Daepyeong Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. (Yonhap)
First graders attend their entrance ceremony at Wonchon Elementary School in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
First graders attend their entrance ceremony at Wonchon Elementary School in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

From elementary schools to universities, institutions across South Korea began the new academic year on Tuesday.

In Korea, the school year typically starts on March 2, following Independence Movement Day, a national holiday celebrated on March 1. This year, however, the new term began on Tuesday, due to a substitute holiday.

First graders greet classmates for the first time at Jangdong Elementary School in Daegu on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
First graders greet classmates for the first time at Jangdong Elementary School in Daegu on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Among the high school students returning for the new semester at Sewha Girls' High School in Seoul were stars from the Winter Olympics in Milan: gold medal-winning snowboarder Choi Ga-on and figure skater Shin Ji-a.

Snowboarder Choi Ga-on (left) and figure skater Shin Ji-a, who competed in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, attend the opening ceremony at Sewha Girls' High School in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
Snowboarder Choi Ga-on (left) and figure skater Shin Ji-a, who competed in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, attend the opening ceremony at Sewha Girls' High School in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

ylee221@heraldcorp.com