"What Are Our Kids Supposed to Do?" 60 Children Left High and Dry by Sudden Closure

A franchise English kindergarten in Busan, operating under a nationwide brand, has sparked controversy after abruptly notifying parents of a suspension in operations and shutting its doors overnight.

According to parents and the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education on September 8, Campus A of a language academy in Dongnae-gu, Busan, notified parents at around 7:00 p.m. the previous day that classes would be suspended starting today.

Around 60 children attended the kindergarten department of the academy, which operated as an English kindergarten, alongside an elementary department.

The campus, a franchise of a nationwide brand, is known to have opened earlier this year, effectively entering the closure process just about six months after opening.

One parent said, "We suddenly received a notice in the evening that they would close starting the next day," adding, "Some 60 children have lost the place where they go."

Some parents reportedly paid a full year's tuition in advance but have yet to receive refunds.

The academy stated, "We had no choice but to suddenly suspend operations due to financial difficulties," adding, "About 20 people prepaid their tuition, and we are working to sort out the refund issue."

Although the academy has suspended classes, it has not yet filed a closure report with the competent authorities.

Some parents are considering filing criminal complaints.

The Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education has also begun verifying the facts.

An official from the city education office said, "As we cannot reach the academy, we plan to visit the site to check," adding, "This is a place where complaints had already been filed multiple times regarding tuition refunds for students who withdrew midway."

The education office is guiding affected parents through civil legal relief procedures, such as applying for payment orders, while reviewing additional administrative measures that can be taken.

The headquarters of the language academy has also begun looking into the issues related to the campus.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.