Trendpills
South Korea came to a near standstill on Thursday as more than half a million students sat for the highly competitive annual university entrance exam, known as 'Suneung.' The high-stakes, nine-hour test is a pivotal event for young South Koreans, heavily influencing their university prospects and future careers. To minimize distractions, authorities implemented extraordinary measures across the country.
Air traffic was halted for a 35-minute period during the English listening comprehension test in the afternoon, leading to the rescheduling of over 90 flights. The stock market opened an hour later than usual, and government offices and many private companies delayed their start times to ease morning traffic. Police escorts were made available to rush students who were running late to one of the approximately 1,200 test centers nationwide.
This year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was marked by a significant trend: a record number of retakers. According to education authorities, the number of applicants retaking the exam was the highest in nearly three decades. This surge is largely attributed to the government's plan to significantly increase medical school enrollment quotas starting next year. The prospect of more seats in the country's most prestigious field has prompted not only recent high school graduates but also current university students and working adults to try their luck again.
The Suneung covers multiple subjects, including Korean language, mathematics, English, Korean history, and social or science electives. The immense pressure associated with the exam is a well-documented aspect of South Korean society, with families gathering at temples and churches to pray for their children. The nationwide effort to create an optimal testing environment underscores the immense weight placed on this single day, which is seen as a defining moment in a young person's life.
