The Ministry of Education announced Tuesday that it has amended regulations to facilitate the merger of Andong National University and Gyeongbuk Provincial College, marking the first-ever merger between a national and public university in Korea.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government approved amendments to the Decree on the Establishment of National Schools and the Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of Universities. The former will take effect on March 1, while the latter is effective from Tuesday.

These changes were necessary to enable the institutional restructuring required for the merger.

Andong National University and Gyeongbuk Provincial College decided to merge in 2023 after being selected for the government’s Glocal University 30 funding project, which required their integration as a condition for participation. The Education Ministry approved the plan in June last year. Andong National University will be the surviving institution and will be renamed Gyeongguk National University.

The merged university will officially open on March 1, making it the first instance of a national university merging with a public university.

The amendment also establishes key provisions for students.

Students enrolled at Andong National University as of March 1 will be officially considered students of the new Gyeongguk National University starting the spring semester. However, they will have the option to graduate with a diploma issued under the former university’s name if they choose.

For administrative purposes, Gyeongbuk Provincial College will be recognized as an existing institution until Feb. 28, 2030. However, its students will also have the choice to graduate under the new Gyeongguk National University name.

Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of Universities states that all campus grounds must be owned by the school, but the amendment will make an exception for mergers between national and public institutions.

Through the amendment, Gyeongguk National University will be able to use campus grounds occupied by the provincial university, which is owned by the North Gyeongsang provincial government.

"We will do our best to support Gyeongguk National University in driving innovation in education and research while also serving as a hub for regional development," said Education Minister Lee Ju-ho.

Andong National University and Gyeongbuk Provincial College are not the only universities undergoing a merger under the Glocal University 30 project.

Kangwon National University and Gangneung–Wonju National University, which were also selected for the program in 2023 under the same condition, announced Monday that they have finalized their merger plans. The two institutions began merger discussions in November last year and plan to launch the new university in March 2026.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]