Record Application Pool

The combined applicant total for the four institutes — which include institutions such as GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology) — passed the 30,000 mark for the first time, based on admissions data published by the schools and imagery from their official sites.

The figure was reviewed against primary sources from three institutions, including official admission-related materials posted by GIST and photography distributed by Yonhap News Agency.

Growing Interest in Science and Engineering Admissions

The milestone reflects rising interest in the institutes, which are among Korea's leading specialized science and technology universities. The four institutions are known for small-scale, research-oriented programs and strong ties to national science and technology policy.

Specific per-school breakdowns and year-over-year comparison figures were not included in the available materials, so the degree of increase at each institution remains unclear.

The claim that the number of applicants to the four major institutes of science and technology topped 30,000 for the first time is True.