More than 550,000 students across South Korea sit the college entrance exam, a nationwide event that halts flights and reshapes daily life.
On Thursday, over 550,000 students in South Korea will take the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), locally known as suneung. The exam, regarded as one of the most important national events of the year, transforms the country for a single day — a test not only of knowledge but of endurance and discipline.
According to the Ministry of Education, 554,174 people have registered for the 2025 CSAT, the highest number in seven years and a 6% increase from last year. The rise is partly attributed to the unusually high birthrate of 2007 — the year of the “golden pig,” a symbol of prosperity in Korean culture.
Held from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in 1,310 test centers nationwide, the exam includes Korean language, mathematics, English, social studies, science, and foreign languages. High school seniors make up 67.1% of the candidates, while 28.9% are graduates trying again for a place in top universities.
Competition for admission to elite medical schools is expected to be particularly fierce. The government recently reversed a policy that had expanded medical school admissions by nearly 1,500 seats.
After backlash and logistical challenges, the quota was restored to 3,123 — the same as before the reform — intensifying the struggle among aspirants.
The suneung day mobilizes the entire nation. In cities such as Suwon and Seoul, police officers escort late-running students and direct traffic. Younger pupils line the streets to cheer on their senior classmates as they enter the exam halls, a symbolic gesture of support and good fortune.
To ensure absolute silence, all aircraft takeoffs and landings are banned from 1:05 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. during the English listening section. Planes already in flight must remain above 3,000 meters unless in emergency situations.
Public services also adjust: Seoul’s subway system will add 29 extra trains between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m., and stock markets will open and close an hour later than usual to ease traffic.
For South Koreans, the suneung is more than a test — it’s a rite of passage. Years of study culminate in this single day that can determine a young person’s academic and social trajectory. The country watches in collective silence, aware that for hundreds of thousands of families, this is the most important day of the year.
