Seowon (Civ4)/Civilopedia

Throughout its history, Korea has always placed great emphasis on education. The first system of formal education was created during the "Three Kingdoms" period (57 BC - 668 AD). This system was loosely based upon the education system used in Korea's northern neighbor, China. The National Confucian Academy, first state-run institution of higher learning, was founded in 372 AD, and some three hundred years later another university - the National Confucian College - was founded in 660 AD. Early Korean universities emphasized the study of Chinese classics. Confucianism was an important topic of study, and it remained so even after the Koryo Dynasty adopted Buddhism as the state religion.
In modern Korea (at least in the South) education continues to be held in high importance. There are over 300 institutes of higher education - including junior vocational colleges and colleges and universities and graduate schools - in South Korea, with enrollment in excess of two million students.