New students at Baesan Elementary School in Busan attend an entrance ceremony on Tuesday. (Yonhap)
New students at Baesan Elementary School in Busan attend an entrance ceremony on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Baesan Elementary School in Suyeong-gu, Busan, celebrated the first day of school for its first grade students on Tuesday, with parents and guardians invited to watch the children reach milestones. Following a long weekend for the March 1 Independence Movement holiday, March 4 marked the start of the school year in South Korea.

First graders and their guardians are introduced to the homeroom teachers who will guide the students this academic year. (Yonhap)
First graders and their guardians are introduced to the homeroom teachers who will guide the students this academic year. (Yonhap)
Students head over to their classrooms under a teacher's guidance. (Yonhap)
Students head over to their classrooms under a teacher's guidance. (Yonhap)

This year, more than 18,422 children are starting first grade in Busan, about 2,000 fewer than the number of students who enrolled last year. Compared to two years ago, this year's new enrollment marks a decrease of about 4,000, according to the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education.

As the birth rate declines and the population shrinks, more elementary schools in Busan are closing every year. Two elementary schools shut down in the city last month, and 29 schools failed to enroll more than 10 first graders this academic year.