South Korea and St. John’s

St. John’s is at the heart of a growing movement in South Korea to promote liberal arts education. Through a network including universities (INU, KNU, and Hallym), partner high schools, the Korean Association for Great Books Education, and our partnerships with the City of Chuncheon and Gangwon Province, we work to promote Great Books, discussion-based classes, and the study of diverse disciplines including philosophy, mathematics, literature, physics, history, theology, and more. Whether you’re a high school student, educator, or adult seeking the next step in your education, we invite you to explore the enriching experiences St. John’s has to offer.

Korean Films Featuring St. John's College

St. John’s work in South Korea has received extensive media coverage. A Korean EBS documentary featured the college in a series about reading, and the City of Chuncheon produced a film on how the city's work alongside St. John’s promotes a human education in the age of artificial intelligence.

City of Chuncheon and St Johns College Film Video

Quotes from Korean Alumni

Dr. Yonghwa Lee (Graduate Institute Class of 2001)

“My position is that if you read Great Books while developing critical thinking skills, you will be able to be better in many things—it will make you a better thinker, a better reader, and a better problem-solver … Fortunately, I had the experience studying at St. John's...”

Graduate Institute Alum Brings St. John’s-Style Pedagogy to South Korea’s Incheon National University

Eunbee Yu (Class of 2018)

“St. John’s College taught me how to slow down, deeply analyze situations, and appreciate diverse perspectives. I apply that every day in my work as a teacher and activist.”

Eunbee Yu (A18) Shares Her Experiences with Alternative Education in South Korea—and Beyond

Seung Eun Lee (Class of 2019)

“My curiosity and critical thinking skills, nurtured at St. John’s, have consistently set me apart in the workplace and contributed to my success.”

How Translating Greek Comedies Led Seung Eun Lee (A19) to Success in South Korea’s Webcomics Industry

Why St. John’s?

Korean students are drawn to St. John’s for its unique educational model. In most of the world, students attend large lectures, memorize textbooks, study singular disciplines, and are assessed by exam. The Great Books curriculum at St. John’s instead emphasizes critical thinking, discussion, and engagement with primary texts—skills increasingly valued in today’s world that demands adaptability.

Learn more about the Great Books curriculum

Since 2020, over 30 Korean students have enrolled at St. John’s. Hometowns include Seoul, Cheonan, Pyeongtaek, Busan, Yangsan, Gwangju, and more, and from high schools including independent, public, and religious schools such as Soopna School, Seoul Global High School, Korean Minjok Leadership Academy, Hwasu High School, Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, Global Vision Christian School, and Dongcheon High School.

Learn more about studying on campus in Annapolis, Maryland

Learn more about studying on campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Partnership with Incheon National University Great Books Center

The collaboration between St. John’s and the Incheon National University Great Books Center is designed to promote discussion-based, primary-text education in South Korea. Together, they offer study programs, internships, and exchange opportunities for both students and faculty. This partnership also plays a key role in educational reform efforts in Korea by introducing the liberal arts model into local schools and universities.

The Great Books Center is run by St. John’s alum Yonghwa Lee (Graduate Institute Class of 2001).

Chuncheon City Comes to St. John's

In 2025, a delegation from the City of Chuncheon visited the Annapolis campus to engage in a diplomatic ceremony celebrating international exchange, cross-cultural collaboration, and the power of a liberal arts education. President J. Walter Sterling and Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han signed a memorandum officially establishing an academic partnership between St. John’s and Chuncheon to promote Great Books seminars and pedagogy among Chuncheon’s schools and universities. Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and Mayor Yuk also signed a letter of agreement establishing a formal relationship between Chuncheon and Annapolis. Mayor Yuk shared in his remarks, “As Mayor, I place the highest priority on education. Among the many responsibilities of a mayor, I firmly believe that education is the foundation upon which everything else is built. A strong educational foundation leads to stronger communities and a better future. In this regard, the Great Books Program at St. John’s College truly resonates with my vision. Korea has undergone rapid development in a short time, but that growth has brought complex structural and societal challenges. Now more than ever, we must return to the fundamentals—restoring our shared humanity and rebuilding communication and cooperation within our communities. The Great Books Program seeks to do just that...”

St. John's Goes to South Korea

In 2024, President Nora Demleitner traveled to the cities of Seoul, Incheon, and Chuncheon with Annapolis tutor Emily Langston. After exploring potential cross-college collaborations between St. John’s and the Great Books Center, Demleitner and Langston visited Chuncheon, where Demleitner signed an agreement with the city and the education department to help promote Great Books seminars in the city schools and Langston led a demonstration English-language seminar at the city library. Demleitner and Langston also signed agreements with Kangwon National University and Hallym University, and several high schools including Hoengseong Minjok Leadership Academy.

INU Partnership

Student Internships

Current students are guaranteed funding for at least one summer for an otherwise unpaid internship. In recent years, many funded internships have been in South Korea. Examples include:

Yunju Park (Class of 2020), Anmadang the Lab | Seoul, South Korea
Joohyun Song (Class of 2018), A+ Platform | Seoul, South Korea
Jaeri Suh (Class of 2021), Living TV | Seoul, South Korea
Dahye Kim (Class of 2019), Guilt Free Bakery | Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Ju Chan Park (Class of 2017), JUEUN Co., Ltd. | KyeongKiDo, South Korea
Soojin Lee (Class of 2021), Dong-A University, Peripheral Neuropathy Research Center | Busan, South Korea
Yoonkyoung Choh (Class of 2020), Korea Startup Forum | Seoul, South Korea

Have questions about applying?

For students interested in the undergraduate program, contact Amanda Stevens, Director of Admissions for International Recruitment, at amanda.stevens(at)sjc.edu.

For students interested in the graduate programs, contact Ryan Johnson, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions, at ryan.johnson(at)sjc.edu.