Flagship Korean National Universities

Korean Flagship National Universities (Korean: 지방거점국립대학교, Hanja: 地方據點國立大學校, literally: national universities designed as provincial centres) had been created by the South Korean government to lead the development of South Korea into a developed country through providing the highest educational institutions nationwide. The Korean government created one flagship national university for each province between 1946 and 1968 when South Korea consisted of two provinces and eight independent cities. Ten Korean Flagship National Universities have been taking roles as the leading national institutes of higher education in South Korea.

Often these universities (mainly these all flagship Korean national universities except Seoul National University) are told as Korean: '지거국', abbreviated word of Korean: '지방거점국립대학교', in various high school student communities.

The 10 Korean Flagship National Universities consist of:

After Korean independence in 1945, Korean government discussed to establish the flagship national university to provide the highest education in the country to provide the elites to develop the country. Seoul National University and Pusan National University were created in 1946 as fully established two flagship national universities. Korea Maritime University was also created at the same time as a national university. In addition, three regional colleges in Daegu agreed to create a national university in 1946, which is nowadays Kyungpook National University. Korea Maritime University has not been granted the status as a Flagship National University, but Kyungpook National University had been granted the status as a Flagship National University afterwards in 1951.

Most of Korean flagship National universities were created by merging previously existing regional colleges. The year of the establishment refers to the time when schools received the status of a national university by the government.

All ten Korean Flagship National Universities are in possession of medical schools. Seoul National University has the largest medical school in South Korea (entrance quota: 135), followed by Pusan National University (125), Chonnam National University (125) and Chungnam National University (110). Among the 10 largest medical schools in South Korea, 6 medical schools belong to Korean Flagship National Universities.

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