Mostly True
Early admissions applications to Korea's four major science and technology institutes — POSTECH, KAIST, GIST, DGIST and UNIST's admissions group — reached their largest scale on record, with approximately 30,000 applicants converging on the schools amid heightened student interest in artificial intelligence and semiconductor fields.
The four institutes, which run a shared early admissions process, received their highest-ever volume of applications this cycle. The total of roughly 30,000 applicants marks a record for the group, according to primary sources from the institutes' admissions offices.
The surge comes as AI and semiconductor programs have become the most sought-after tracks, reflecting the broader hiring demand from companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix for talent in chip design, fabrication and AI development.
Institutes including GIST and DGIST have expanded their AI-related colleges and programs, and applicant interest has concentrated in those departments. DGIST's AI graduate college and similar tracks at the other institutes were prominent in the admissions materials published by the schools.
The institutes, which combine undergraduate education with heavy research orientation in science and engineering, have benefited from the perception that graduates are well-positioned for careers in the semiconductor and AI industries.
Verdict: Mostly True