More than four thousand schools nationwide have closed due to the country's declining birthrate.

According to data obtained by Rep. Jin Sun-mee from the Education Ministry on Sunday, a total of four-thousand-eight elementary, middle and high schools nationwide had shut down as of this year.

Elementary schools accounted for the vast majority, with three-thousand-674 closures, followed by 264 middle schools and 70 high schools.

Over the past five years, 158 schools have closed, and the ministry projects that another 107 will shut down over the next five years.

As low birthrates shrink the school-age population, 376 of the four-thousand-eight closed schools remain unused.

Of those, 266 have been idle for more than a decade, while 82 have stood abandoned for over 30 years.