"K-Edu, Crossing Borders"... Embracing AI to the World

[Financial News] Leading domestic education companies are accelerating their efforts to penetrate overseas markets alongside digital transformation. As the domestic market reaches its growth limit due to a declining school-age population, they are venturing into global markets armed with technological prowess and content competitiveness. In particular, there is an analysis that the spread of educational Korean Wave is becoming visible, centered around AI-based edutech solutions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Japan.
According to the industry on the 24th, Woongjin ThinkBig will fully introduce four types of AI solutions, including descriptive evaluation, reading wizard, automatic question generation, and counseling teacher, into the domestic education field from the second half of this year. Along with this, the export of CES 2025 Best Innovation Award-winning 'Book Story' and AR reading content 'AR Pidia' is expanding, raising expectations for improved performance. AR Pidia recently signed distribution contracts in three Middle Eastern countries, achieving entry into a total of 24 countries, and the metaverse English platform 'Lingocity' is also set to enter Japan and Vietnam. It seems that the strategy of diversifying exports to break through the stagnation of the domestic market is being fully implemented.
Visang Education has also entered the Mongolian market with its AI integrated platform 'Olbia CL'. It has signed an exclusive supply contract for five years through an agreement with MindDeep. It plans to contribute to alleviating educationally underserved areas by equipping it with infant English content 'Wings' and voice recognition AI service 'AI Speak 2.0'. Additionally, it is preparing for expansion throughout Central Asia from this point.
Ice Cream Edu and Ice Cream Media are focusing on building a domestic AI data ecosystem and targeting the Japanese market, respectively. Ice Cream Edu is participating in the 'K Data Alliance' led by KT to secure Korean-style AI learning data and spread educational content. It plans to support the advancement of edutech by providing knowledge tracing technology (DKT), education-specialized large-scale language models (LLM), etc., for joint research.
Ice Cream Media has partnered with Japan's TBS Innovation Partners to start the local verification work (PoC) of the AI art education platform 'Artbongbong'. Artbongbong is a solution equipped with emotional analysis functions based on picture psychological tests, which can be used not only for simple art education but also as mental health and counseling materials. 
An industry official said, “Korea has the world's highest level of competitiveness in learning content and educational technology,” adding, “Edutech companies are targeting the global market with K-Edu strategies that combine technology and content to overcome domestic limitations.”


jimnn@fnnews.com Shin Ji-min Reporter