by Yoo Na-hyunPosted : January 29, 2026, 17:25Updated : January 29, 2026, 17:25
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Adult graduates toss their mortarboards during the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. 2026. Yonhap
SEOUL, January 29 (AJP) -Laughter, careful steps and handwritten diplomas filled the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office on Jan. 28, as graduates of Neulpureum School gathered for a ceremony years — sometimes decades — in the making.
Neulpureum School is an adult literacy institution that grants officially recognized elementary and middle school diplomas. Its classrooms are filled with senior citizens who missed the chance for formal schooling earlier in life, often due to poverty, war or family obligations. For them, education arrived late — but not too late.
At the ceremony, graduates from both the elementary and middle school programs walked across the stage one by one, many gripping their certificates with quiet pride. Some wore formal suits or hanbok; others leaned on canes or the arms of classmates who had become friends through shared homework and long afternoons of practice.
Adult graduates adjust each other’s mortarboards during the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. 2026. Yonhap
An adult graduate wipes away tears during the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. Yonhap
Adult graduates perform during a celebratory event at the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. 2026. Yonhap
An adult graduate takes commemorative photos of family members during the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. Yonhap
Adult graduates watch AI-generated images depicting their childhood during the 2025 Neulpureum School elementary and middle school graduation ceremony at the annex building of Yeongdeungpo District Office in Seoul on Jan. 28. 2026. Yonhap
